Visiting Grandma

 

Josh hears me all the time talk about how wonderful my Grandma is. The first day we were in town, we went to go spend the day with her. I told him to be good, and let me talk to her, and don't come tell me how bored you are, etc... I probably didn't set the right tone. Grandma, however, worked her charms on him the moment he walked through her door. She sat my 75 pound son down on her little 90-year-old lap and gave him a lesson on "whoofers". A whoofer is better given than described but it's really just a delicious hug that makes you giggle every time you get one! To test him, she made him give her one in return. He gave her that big final squeeze, I heard every frail bone in her body pop, I cringed, and she laughed hysterically. His faced glowed up at me and I could tell -- he was already getting it.

Minutes later Grandma was guiding us through her home. It's the same house she's lived in since I was born but Josh needed the grand tour. You have to understand, my grandparents traveled the world together. Their home is a museum of antiques and artwork and treasures from very unusual people and places. That said, clumsy Josh in his flip-flops, tripped right over a little table of knick-knacks. He looked up at her and she clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Oh no!" He froze, terrified. She went on, "Rule #1 in my house: You don't hurt yourself! Be kind to those toes!" He glowed up at me again and saw my very comfortable look. What I already knew was, even though there's something special everywhere you look, nothing was ever more special than us grandkids. When we visited her home, we lived in her home. Her mantra through the years was "Love the Lord" and "Have an adventure! Explore!" Joshua got a full taste of it on our visits to her that week. He picked exotic fruits off the trees she planted decades ago, rummaged through the garage of old tools and junk Grandpa left behind, pretended to race his old Model T, dug around for her garden critters, and played her piano as loudly as he wanted -- much, MUCH to her delight!

By the time we left, he had an armful of things Grandma told him to take home and a heartful of his gifter. Later Joshua tried to tell me what he thought of her.

"Mom, she's just so, so...."

"I know," I said. "I know exactly what you mean."