A few days of fun remembering being a "parent"!

Gwen and Tim took Lia to San Diego for her Senior Trip.  All of these events just make it so much clearer that Lia, in fact, will soon be 18 and leaving for college!  I got the chance to stay with Ellie, Zeke and Anna while they were away.  Of course, this also includes my "granddogs" Chandler and Sunny!  It was only 5 days, but included plenty of activities. You forget what its like as a parent taxi service after you haven't done that for a while!

The first day was kind of quiet.  We were gearing up for a few very busy days to come, so the kids took it a bit easy on Grandma.   We had lunch at Culvers, which is always a fan favorite.  The weather was incredibly warm for February, which was a wonderful surprise.    Anna and I took Sunny for a long walk down to the lake.  It was a bit muddy but Sunny was glad for the outdoor time and I sure appreciated the warm walk.  Anna is an expert at walking Sunny and he has become really good on the leash.  

Zeke asked to have a friend over on Friday night, which was fine with me!  The boys played video games while Anna and I played a bunch of board games.  I really didn't see much of Ellie.  As a typical teen, she spends a lot of time in her room!  

 On Friday, we knew that we would have the beginnings of a busy few days, but Zeke and Anna really wanted to see the movie "Migration".  I didn't know anything about this movie, but it turned out to be really cute.  Ellie had no interest in this movie, so she stayed home.  

It was interesting that we saw this movie about birds, while Gwen, Tim and Lia were actually seeing the real things at the San Diego Zoo!  

While the movie was fun, I know that they had a much better time seeing the animals in person!  I enjoyed the part of the movie that takes place in Central Park, New York City!  Since I now have actually seen those places, it was fun to have those memories flash up on the screen.  

Friday continued with bringing Ellie to serve at a Girl Scout Cookie Booth with her troop.  While it had been warm during the day, the temperature dropped when the sun went down.  It was a chilly time for her for sure.  Anna, Zeke and I went to Zeke's basketball practice.  It is so interesting to see 7th and 8th grade boys together.  Some are still very small and young looking while others look like grown adults!  His team sure includes some of both, with Zeke falling comfortably in the middle of the pack.  

That is Zeke taking a shot at the basket.  I didn't get many good pictures. It was a long practice that ended at 9:30pm!  This grandma was tired just watching these kids run up and down for a solid hour.  By the time we got home and settled, it was after 10:30!  The kids weren't tired at all.  Sigh.

We had an early start to our day on Saturday.  Ellie had to be at a cookie booth at 8:30am and Zeke had two basketball games - one at 9:00am and one at noon.  Ellie had a second cookie booth in the afternoon, but thankfully her Troop Leader transported her to that one (thanks Lianne)!  

Anna and I watched Zeke's first game, which sadly, his team lost the very close game by two points.  I took the kids for a quick lunch before Zeke's second game.  After that game, we picked up Ellie from her second cookie booth.  There was a very cold wind and the temperatures were only in the 30's so she was really glad to get into the warm car.  She said her toes were numb!  But they sold 249 boxes of cookies at these cookie booths, so it was well worth the effort!

Sunday we had church, as usual.  Zeke was serving in production that morning, so we had to be at church by 8:00am.  Most people are pretty used to seeing me as the "substitute" Gwen/Tim.   I am so thankful for this amazing church, that has been MY church for the last two years.  Being there with the kids is so wonderful.  After church, we geared up to watch the Super Bowl!  Zeke was surprised to know that I actually understand football and even knew what some of the penalties were.  He was extremely excited for this game, but his favorite team didn't win.  I haven't watched a Super Bowl in countless years, but it was worth it to see Zeke's excitement about the event.

Monday morning the kids wanted to go out for breakfast.  I love doing this!  Ken loved going out to breakfast and I miss this.   Whenever I get the chance, I love to do breakfast out.  

We went to a family restaurant that is pretty close to their house.  There used to be a nice park across the road from this place, but it is currently under construction!  It looks like it will be much bigger and include a spray park!  I for one, miss the quiet small park right on the lake.   

Zeke made plans to meet a friend at a park to practice his basketball shots.  Anna wanted to go to a playground.  Thankfully, there was a nice playground right next to the basketball court.  Anna had a good time and especially liked playing with the "digger"!  This was a new park for the kids, and I am sure we will be back there.

I spent some time sitting in the Sunroom.  While the sun was shining, it was still a bit nippy.  Sunny and Chandler were really missing their "people".  After a few days, they are ready for them to be home.  Gwen spends a lot of time in this room and the dogs took their place in Gwen's favorite chair!  I couldn't get them to move!  

Later on Monday, there was dance!  I picked up all of the Girl Scout cookies that Ellie needed to deliver, while bringing Anna and her friend to their dance classes.  I unloaded the cookies from my car and helped Ellie separate them for delivery.  Gwen, Tim and Lia got home in the wee hours of the morning from their trip.  It was a full five days!

As I was driving home on Tuesday morning, I was recounting all of the driving that happened in those few days.  I remember, so well, doing the same thing when Gwen and Doug were in those years.  While there was just one of me over this weekend, it is so nice that Gwen has two other drivers to take some of these trips!   I have forgotten just how busy parenting is.  And these kids are each only in one activity.  I can't imagine trying to juggle two or three different things with two or more kids.  

It is really good to be put into someone else's shoes.  Even if you once took care of kids 24/7 a few (think a whole lot) of years ago, things are different now.  Some things are so much better.  Everyone has a cell phone.  You can always get a hold of a child, they can always get a hold  of you.  In Gwen's house you don't even have to go downstairs to get the kids up!  You can just ask Alexa to "drop in".  At Doug's house,  I never have to worry about Jimmy when he is (supposed to be) napping!  Thanks to an amazing app on my phone that lets me SEE Jimmy in his crib.  I didn't even have an audio monitor when my kids were little. This time with the kids has reminded me, just how much work children are!  I am incredibly proud of Gwen and Tim and Doug and Susie for the amazing job they are doing with their children.  All four of them work full time jobs that are stressful and demanding.  Yet they have made family life a priority.  All of my grandchildren expect to sit down at the dinner table and eat together.  In both houses, there is a lot of love and care for each other.  There is also room for being sorry and receiving forgiveness.  Every generation seeks to do better than their parents.  It is a wonderful thing to experience the joy of knowing that your kids have succeeded in that!  Truly, there is nothing better than spending time with family.  You can always rest tomorrow!

Jesus, thank you so much for smiles and laughs and fun with children.  Holy Spirit, help us to let go of old ways and expectations for things to always stay the same.  Jesus, keep us looking ahead and not back.  Give us courage to try new things and wisdom to see the good in the changes around us.  Surround children with your protection and fill them with your love.  Amen