Victoria Advocate, A Different Perspective
This past weekend, our two oldest granddaughters had a sleepover at Mamaw’s. Long overdue. I’d planned rainy day projects, but those got scuttled when the weather turned to sunny days with intermittent showers instead of the deluge we were expecting.
We watched movies and visited with their great grandmother. Gigi’s “special friend” had received a bubble machine for his 90th birthday, so the girls and I rode on the back of the golf cart and took turns sharing bubbles with the retirement village. The tiny bubbles popped like cool pinpricks on our hot skin. The residents enjoyed our activity. Gigi also had charms that needed to be put on chains for the girls, but I was too fumble-fingered to accomplish it. Not to worry. Ten-year-old Annabelle politely took the needle-nose pliers away from me, and with her sharper vision and deft fingers, she attached the charms to the chains. Voila! The girls had new necklaces.
Then our son called and asked if we wanted to join him and his boys at Mr. Gatti’s. When the girls hesitated, I assured them it would be fun. The desire to see their cousins won out, so off we went. After purchasing buffets for all, we headed into the Theater room where Disney movies showed nonstop on a big screen with plenty of tables and chairs. I guided the girls through the buffet, and they loved making their own choices. Once they ate, Uncle Phil had purchased cards with credit on them to use in the arcade room. The bumper cars were a favorite. It was a Friday night, but not so crowded we couldn’t enjoy it. After another buffet round, we called it a wrap. Yay for another family friendly event in Victoria.
At home, Annabelle and I finished watching “Where the Red Fern Grows,” while Ria and Papa made cookies. I was much older the first time I watched the movie and cried my eyes out over the ending. It surprised me how well they took it in stride, but they’ve had lizards, birds, and rabbits meet untimely demises. Most likely, it accounted for their understanding.
The next morning, we planned to go to the mall, but once again, Uncle Phil came to the rescue. He picked up the girls and took them to the park. They made good use of the playscape, then he challenged them to a footrace. By the time they met us at the food court at the mall, their complexions were pink with the exertion. We ordered Chick fil A, then walked through Murdoch’s to see the chicken coops. I wanted to stop in TJ Maxx, but Phil said that was boring and took the kids for cookies.
Once we arrived back home, it was time to pack up and drive to meet their mom. We refer to our halfway point as the “Gonzales run.” The girls enjoyed their visit but looked forward to seeing cousins from the other side of the family.
Funny how their visit seemed both long and short. Long because I’m not used to kid noise and movement like I once was. Short because it seemed they were only here for a blink of an eye, then they were gone.
As I do my daily Bible reading, I’m astounded at the parallels between ancient history and what we face today. It’s scary how little humanity has learned in the intervening years. Yet there are precious moments as well. The smiles and funny remarks our grandchildren make. An answer to prayer with our goddaughter announcing her first pregnancy. And good news about a friend’s child who’s going through a difficult divorce.
Despite the world’s craziness, there is much to look forward to. When I keep my eyes on the One who holds the world in His hands, I find those precious moments.