A busy week with Ellie, Zeke and Anna

Every year, when Gwen and Tim lead a Youth Mission Trip from their church, I get to spend the week with the kids that are so young that they can't go on the trip!  Lia has already had a couple of trips, and in just a short time, Ellie will be going.  This year, it was great to have Ellie, Zeke and Anna for a week filled with fun and adventure.  

Gwen always leaves small gifts for the kids to open each day, along with a card telling us a bit about what they will be doing on their mission trip that day.  On this day, the kids got 6 very fun card games.  Over the course of the week we played these games for hours - and I mean hours!  Go Fish and Old Maid were the favorites and Anna and I played War over and over.  Having the swimming pool was such a wonderful treat for me.  I love to swim and we often spent many hours in the pool.  Sometimes two or more times in one day.  The weather was really good for us, and I picked the one "cooler" day to take the kids to Great America. 

The kids have memberships there and know the park like the back of their hands.  They led the way around the park and managed to get on all of their favorite rides (except for one), in spite of the fact that it was a beautiful day and the park was pretty crowded.  We stayed for about 5 hours and left with plenty of time to take Ellie to dance.  

The kids were excited to get new floats for the pool as one of their daily gifts from Gwen.  I saw how much these kids played with these floats and I was getting a lot of use out of them also!  All of the kids swim like fish and have so much fun playing together in the pool.  

I had promised to take the kids bowling, so on the last full day of the trip we finally got there.  Each of the kids got several strikes and several spares.  They did so well even though they don't often go bowling.  I had fun watching them bowl, and they couldn't believe that I had once been a really good bowler.  

On the last day I took the kids to a breakfast in a sit down restaurant.  As always, the kids ate everything that they were served.  It is so much fun to be with them and watch them share with each other, making sure everyone gets exactly what they want.

After breakfast we went to the "Big Park", another tradition from the years past.  I had promised Zeke that we would go to the skate park and this was the last chance.  

The week was filled with so much fun, so much laughter and so many hugs.  I can't ever express how much this time with the kids means to me.  When you get to spend time with the kids like this, you really find out so much about them.  I saw how caring Ellie is with Anna and how she will do anything to make Anna feel special.  One day she made up a scavenger hunt for Anna with notes all over the yard.  We also had a special "Dance Recital" hosted by Ellie that featured Anna as the dancer.  It was hours of work and practice.  I got to watch Zeke playing some on line video games and it was certainly an education for this grandma.  I heard Zeke sounding very mature, interacting with other players.  I heard him often opt out of some games if there were "bad words" being used by players, and often taking other players with him when he did this.  He would be open to ask these players if they believed in Jesus and I heard him talking about Jesus and the Bible more than once.  I also realized just how much Zeke was learning from playing these games.  I saw him using strategy and planning to work together with other players to score points and win the game.  It was a really different perspective than you might have about video games.  I am very aware of all of the limits that Gwen and Tim have placed on these games that make it safe for the kids.  Anna often talks about being the youngest and was really glad to hear that I am the youngest of my siblings.  She loves to swim - I think more than any of the other kids - and was very happy to have me there willing to swim with her whenever she wanted.  I loved having her read to me each day.  Anna was the first to want to help me with whatever I was doing and she helped with dishes and laundry, even when it wasn't her "job".  The couple of times that Zeke and Ellie didn't get along well, Anna was always wanting to be the peacemaker.  She really wants her siblings to get along and she is pretty quick to tell them that.  

During the week, the kids and I prayed over the items on the cards Gwen left for them.  We talked about the area that they were visiting and the poverty and sometimes homelessness that the kids there experienced.  It seemed like each of the kids really understood just how blessed they and their family are.  I especially like this connection to the Mission Trip.  It certainly helps me focus on what God might be doing through this time.  

Yesterday marked 9 months since Ken died.  It is hard to imagine and in some ways it seems like much longer that he has been gone.  It was one of those unexpected times, when grief suddenly hits you.  There was really no good reason, other than the date.  I am still finding it difficult to plan any vacations even though the COVID restrictions have lifted.  So in the next week, I am making it a point to begin to plan a trip away.  I know that when I do set things in place, it will mark a new beginning for me.  We finally had some much needed rain last week but one of those days of rain also brought some bad storms.  I found myself sheltered in my downstairs bathroom, while the sirens blew.  Fortunately, the storms passed over my area but sadly some areas near me were damaged.  It was certainly proof that we have moved into summer.  I am working on giving myself grace to walk through this grief process.  I often remind myself that it is normal for me to have these times were I feel stuck.  I am so thankful that my family and friends also continue to support me in this ongoing journey.  This time with the kids certainly helps and getting time with Grace and baby snuggles with James are also a joy. In spite of grief and loss, life is good.  Yes, I am blessed.  

Jesus, thank you for time with my kids that fills my heart so full.  Holy Spirit, remind all of us walking through grief that it is ok to move as slowly as we need to.  Help us surround ourselves with grace.  Jesus remind us all to see others as you see them.  Thank you for opportunities to go out of our comfort zone to share your love with others.  Give us courage to take the next step when it seems hard.  Amen