Grandchildren

I go and sit on my chair in my backyard and look around at all of the memories that took place out there. In the solitude, I see the toys and the scooters each of them played with that are growing old and tarnished by the rain. I look at that old tree that held the swing that Marley used to swing on constantly. I see the lawn that Gabriel and Lenny and Eli took turns mowing for some extra money. The family pictures on Easter Day after the Easter egg hunt. So many memories. Good memories.

     Recalling those memories I think to myself how I could have been so blessed with 11 grandchildren. I have them call me GG and the sound of their voices resonates in my mind. Circumstances and then the inevitability of age silences those voices that I hold so dear.

     Now, it's friends sleepovers and parties for birthday celebrations with their classmates that take precedence over playing board games or swinging on the swing. Time goes fast and slips away into the past as fast as a locomotive.

     God has been good to me. Allowing me to be a big part of my sweet grandchildren's lives. I was fortunate to witness some of their births and got to hold those precious children in my arms as babies. I've gotten to go to piano recitals and help them get ready for Halloween. I've had the privilege of helping teach them their prayers and snuggle close to them at nap time.

     As a grandparent your prayer each night is that God will keep them safe. Far away from sickness or danger or temptation of this world. But as they grow older it gets harder to keep them in the realization that God is always watching. My sweet grandchildren love me and I pray they will always come to me and feel safe and loved back.

     I may not always want to babysit and I hope the thought of these tired old bones of mine are a good enough excuse for them. I'd give anything to go and run with them or sit for hours watching a good TV show but I'm just too tired and worn out lots of times.

     I remember seeing my mother fall asleep and look at the clock and think it's to early for her to be asleep. Now I know why. After a full day of work, I just don't have enough gasoline to keep the car running. In the mean time, Time keeps ticking away. You wish you could stay young forever. Unfortunately though, that's not how it works. Father Time won't let us. That's why the memories we make are so very important. Grandchildren will always be the babies they were in a grandparents mind and heart, and I will treasure them til the day I die.