Having a "sleep over" with the grand kids!

I am extremely thankful that Gwen and Tim are volunteer youth leaders at their church!  Not just because it warms my heart to see them serving Jesus in this capacity, but also because their times away at retreat give me a chance to stay with the grand kids.  Except now that Lia is actually IN the youth program, I only have three of the kids to enjoy.  Anna was just delighted that I was having a sleep over at their house.  There is something fun about being there without the parents.  It really gives you a glimpse  at what their life is like, on a day to day basis.  

I was especially excited to have the chance to get to see Zeke play "No Ice Hockey". He only has one more game left in the season after this one.  This is his first year playing floor hockey, and after watching him play, I see a lot more hockey in his future.   This is no surprise since Tim plays ICE hockey and has even played on adult leagues!  These kids are only six to eight years old and it was amazing to see them play.   During the game that I watched, the coaches did a great job of letting the kids all play different positions.  Zeke played offense, defense, and center and actually scored a goal!  This was especially memorable since the team they were playing against is the number one team in the league (mostly older boys who have all played for a long time) and they have not had a goal scored against them ALL SEASON!  You can be sure that this grandma was cheering from the sidelines!

Besides Zeke's game, all three of the kids worked together on this 500 piece puzzle.  It was especially fun since it is a camper puzzle and these guys just love camping.  They talked about keeping this puzzle by coating it and framing it to hang in their camper.  Here is all three kids helping put in the last piece of the puzzle.

And with the finished puzzle!  It was so much fun to watch the kids helping each other out and working together on this project.  Such a fun way to spend a couple of rainy, cold and windy days!

(Not complaining about the weather - at least it was not snowing!)

As part of the fun "sleep over" time, Anna and Ellie wanted to "do my nails!"  So, as any good grandma would do, I allowed them to paint my nails.  Anna, at five years old, is just getting used to using nail polish.  She told me that it would be okay since "I don't paint on your skin anymore!"  And she did a really good job on my left foot!

Ellie is an old hand at doing nails, and she painted my right toes.  She also insisted on putting on a top coat and making sure that my nails were totally dry before I could leave the "Salon" (the bathroom). 

Besides these fun activities, there were games played and forts built and of course the extra long bath (that apparently only happens when grandma is there for a sleep over).  There were books read and prayers, prayed.  Zeke brought me "The book without pictures" to read to the kids.  Of course we were all laughing by the end.  The best part about that book was that Ellie wanted to read it to us all again!  So we all listened to it again and laughed some more.  Ellie has dyslexia and had a difficult time learning to read.  So her willingness to read a book, out loud, to more than one person, with no pictures, is really amazing.  Thanks to Gwen's perseverance, Ellie's hard work, and a good reading program, Ellie is reading at grade level now!   Anna asked for a "Little Blue Truck" book.  And then Ellie offered to read a story to Anna in bed.  Again, so amazing.  

Ellie and Anna helped set the table for our last dinner together, before Gwen, Tim and Lia got home.  She reminded me that we should pray before our meal.  Anna immediately said that she wanted to pray.  Her simple prayer was for all the people on the  "treat" (retreat) to get home safe, and then we prayed our family meal prayer "Come Lord Jesus".  

Come Lord Jesus, and be our guest.

And let these gifts to us be blessed. Amen

I couldn't help but reflect on that simple prayer.  My mom had always said that prayer with her family before eating, and she carried it on with my family.  I taught it to my children and now they have taught it to their kids.  Such a simple little prayer, yet so meaningful.  Inviting Jesus to be with us at our table.  And then asking for God's blessing over our food and the time together.  

I had one of those sudden moments, remembering my own childhood, saying that prayer with my parents and siblings.  And then remembering my own kids as small children, sitting in our kitchen together, praying that prayer.  Such a warm and wonderful feeling of Spiritual connections across multiple generations.  All through a simple table prayer.  

We ended our special time together, all cuddled on the coach watching a movie.  It was such a wonderful end to a special couple of days.  

Jesus, thank you for simple prayers that speak through the years.  Holy Spirit, thank you for reminders of our Spiritual heritage.  Help us remember that even simple prayers can last for generations and impact into the future.  Jesus, thank you for children, for fun and for laughter.  Amen