Honesty with a smile...

I am in the midst of my family.  James and I are in Auburn with Julie, Dave, Delaney, and Mitchell.  It is a rare occasion that we are together like this. The weather is gorgeous, the flowers vibrant and the kids are buzzing with the excitement that the expectation of summer vacation brings.  Delaney, as always, has a zest, for whatever catches her interest, that is impossible to repress and Mitchell, as always, moves through life with thoughtfulness and grace.  The other morning when he was reading to me while everyone else was still asleep, he turned to me with a sly smile and said, "Grandma, I have good news and bad news about your glasses.  The good news is: they help you see better.  The bad news is: they make you look scary".  We both laughed at the thought and I thrilled at the intimacy that such honesty suggested.   I hope that there will always be such openness and lack of pretense in our relationship.  This is a very special time and I will remember how blessed I am to be in the midst of it.

Shoe Stories.....

I think that kid's shoes can tell lots of stories. When I visit my grand kids, I am always tripping over shoes. As soon as they get home from school, off go the shoes in the hallway. Outside the back door are all sorts of shoes that get kicked off helter skelter. Look in the closet and the shoes are anywhere but in the shoe holder. But I got to looking at them and thinking about the stories that they could tell. The shoes that go to the park, get stuck in the mud or dodge the dog deposits on the path. The shoes that jump rope, ride scooters and play on the climbing equipment at school. Or what about the slippers that warm chilly feet while Mom reads bedtime stories. All of a sudden, I wasn't upset about tripping over little shoes. They have become the chroniclers of my grandchildren's adventures. They are stories worth keeping.

Letterboxing

We took the kids 'letterboxing' during their visit to St George. It is a great way to get some exercise and provide a little bit of excitement along the way. Some good hearted souls have gone to the trouble to hide 'letterboxes' around in public areas. It is usually a water tight plastic container and inside there is a rubber stamp and a small notebook. The box is hidden under some rocks and directions to the location of the boxes are found on a web site. Each of the kids had their own stamps with ink pad and a notepad. The goal is to leave your stamp impression in the book found in the box and to stamp your book with the stamp found in the box. Information as to the date, location, name etc. can be added as well. We searched and found 3 boxes in the St George area. I am going to create some more letterboxes and will stash them when I go hiking.

Check out letterboxing on Wikipedia.

You..me..talk!

After visits with my wonderful grandchildren, I was humbled and thrilled to witness their desire to communicate and be understood for the unique people they are. Natalie, who just turned 16, shared with me her diverse art projects and is giving me one of her paintings for my birthday. Her openness to ideas and opinions was exciting and refreshing. Andrew surprises me every time I see him. He is maturing into a bright, funny, caring young man. His desire to speak and be understood is palpable and when he feels like he is not getting in on the conversation he will grab your arm and say 'You...me...talk!' Through a combination of sounds, pantomime, sign language, and perseverence, he makes himself understood. His hugs are many and strong. He's quite a guy! Delaney and Mitchell visited here and we had a great many adventures. They tried horseback vaulting which is a method for beginners to gain confidence and balance on a horse. Mitchell in his quiet, self-assured way listened attentively to instructions and then proceeded to do the 'tricks' with nonchalance. Since listening well is critical to good communication, I think that Mitchell is ahead of us all. Delaney leaves no doubt that she wants to communicate - all the time! When she really wanted to get your attention she would exhort: 'Focus people, focus'. It cracked me up every time. I would not trade these moments for anything. These dear children teach, love, share and bring incredible happiness into my life. I am blessed!