Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Today is our younger daughter's birthday.  Her celebration gets swallowed up in the holiday blitz, and now her son, who's birthday is 12 days before, draws all the energy towards that event.  She's our youngest by seven years, and I'm so grateful she's in our lives.  She's thoughtful and kind, and very empathetic, as is her husband, and they include us in much of their lives.  That she lives nearby is wonderful, and that we see her and her son at least once a week because we babysit him, is a blessing.  She's a hero.  She teaches third graders, and these are kids without much English and writing skills.  I know her devotion.  She won't give up on even one of these kids.  She has a very long day, often getting up at six with her toddler, and coming back at five, putting him to bed, then working at home while he is sleeping.  Yet she takes him on fun excursions and reads and plays with him.  I try to babysit so she and her husband can get out, but often she's too tired or pressed for prep for her class.  And we won't even discuss what she gets paid for this.  Teachers are the most undervalued workers in America.  Tonight we go out with her, our son-in-law, grandson and our son and his wife, who also lives nearby, for a tiny celebration and a meal out.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Every neighborhood has it's secret delights.  Yesterday we took our grandson yet again to see the koi fish swimming in our neighbor's front yard, as well as their water lilies.  And along the way we saw "The Grotto" which really is a stone grotto with a pond you can see from the street.  We cross over the bridge between streets where the underground creek surfaces and stare at the water.  The creek goes under and up under and up along our streets.  We can hear the frogs singing all year long.  We have two small parks, one with the name "Round Park" because of it's shape, and if you go there you can see balls being chased by dogs and tramp among the leaves.  We also have a parkway that is our little strip of woods, where people stroll and walk their dogs and we can pretend we are in a forest.  I don't think about these places much consciously, but they enhance the ambiance of the neighborhood.  I'm reminded of our funky Fourth of July parades where kids decorate their bikes, a band plays on the back of a pickup truck and families and dogs are decked out in red, white and blue.  We have children ring the bells for the thirteen original states, a speech about what our country means to us, singing, watermelon, beer and cotton candy.  We're weathering the Trump era, hugging our values to our chests to remind us of what we hold dear, even if our President doesn't.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

Well, the tree is decorated, the house looking festive, and I'm listening non-stop to Christmas songs.  Next it will be watching my favorite holiday movies:  Christmas in Connecticut, Elf, Miracle on Thirty Fourth Street and The Bishop's wife.  I've got to hunt them up today.  I ordered two cakes for my younger son's and my holiday brunch:  a huge Yule Log and a coconut cake with lots of frosting.  We're doing waffles and frittatas and fruit salad, mimosas and apple juice.  We've restructured our whole event for the tons of toddlers who now come.  And for my generation, which has difficulty with our steps and the dark.  Now we're all lit up with sunshine, hopefully.  I've purchased every kind of syrup known to man:  boysenberry, elderflower, ginger, raspberry, blueberry, apricot, etc.  Now as a diabetic, I can't eat any of this, but I have my sugar free syrup and can load on whip cream, as I make it without sugar.  No problemo. 

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

We just got a call from our younger son and his wife that their baby is a boy.  They sound really happy and are so excited.  We all just want a healthy baby, bottom line.  I wasn't sure they were going to ask about the sex of the baby and I don't think they were either, but doing the test today must have made them curious.  We are so lucky to share in their joy and anticipation.  When I was sending out holiday cards with pictures of the three grandchildren inside, I was thinking that next year there will be a fourth photo.  Each of my four kids will have one child.  Wow.  It sure helps with the holiday spirit, and how nice for the grandchildren to have cousins.  Family is a gift and a treasure.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I went to my grandson's house early yesterday, so we could play and get relaxed.  For the first time I was putting him to bed at night.  Yes, I've done it a million times for nap, but not the nighttime big deal.  When I babysit him at night he's already asleep or my daughter puts him in and I watch the monitor.  He was great, and other than ordering me to sing song after song while I was rocking him, everything proceeded according to plan.  When I put him in his crib, he directed me to shut the door.  That was at seven thirty and as I watched the monitor downstairs, I could see he was lying down but his eyes were wide open.  He finally closed his eyes at eight.  He evidently has many issues to think about.  That mind of his is going a mile a minute.  This morning his daddy texted me that he was disappointed I wasn't there when he awoke.  I believe we may be ready for an overnight at my house soon.  I'm going to suggest my daughter buy one of those "Going to Grandma's House" overnight bags for kids, and I can begin to talk it up with him. 

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

It was our younger grandson's birthday party and a bunch of toddlers looked confused, got interested in toys or the bouncy house, snacked, and generally had fun.  The ice cream cake was very successful.  Some kids even ate their whole piece.  It helped that it had gummy bears on it, and yes, there were color preferences, but no one fell apart over that issue.  No blood was spilled, though there were sore heads from kids bumping into each other and a few tears.  Our grandson was stunned, shy, happy, bouncy and fatigued by the end.  I'm sure he's napping now.  His nanny came with her boyfriend, and they were pretty delightful.  I can see why he adores her.  Both sets of his grandparents were there.  My other grandson attended and he was thrilled with the bouncy house.  I held an adorable six month old girl for a long time and she was curious and mellow and such a delightful armful.  Now I need a nap, but maybe not.  We're going later to get a Christmas tree, and our younger son is helping with that, bless his heart.

Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I whipped around today shopping a bit for the holidays.  It's the Big Game today in our town, delayed from two weeks ago by the bad air.  I don't believe in football...but...it's my Alma Mater and I have fifty years plus memories of being an undergrad and going to games, and we had season tickets a few years ago, and when I see the band marching or hear it on Thursday nights practicing, then I get competitive and want them to win, win, win.  It's in my blood.  It rained this morning but it's sunny now and a great day for the game.  I still read about all their games in the newspaper, and follow some of the NFL players like Aaron Rogers, who was an undergrad here.  It's a brutal game, and I never allowed my sons to play, but my Dad got me started when I was little, my brother played in high school, and I can't quite let the whole thing go.  I really do want my team to win.  Pathetic but true.