a memory and a Christmas invitation

-
I shared a personal memory on a home visit today.  I did 5 home visits, which is a lot in my kind of work....and involved driving to different communities.  The story I shared was about the time when I was a new mama, for the first time.  When I had my first child, Claire, my mom was so, so excited and ready.  Claire went past her due date....by almost 2 weeks.....so we were ALL ready to greet her when she chose her birthday!  We invited my mom to her birth when we knew birth was imminent.  My mom was there in full makeup and lipstick....at 1:30 am.  We teased her.....mom, why do you have make up on at 1:30am?  ( she had slept in make up for over a week just hoping for a call to come to the birth of this grandchild!)  Claire was born.  We gave her the name Claire for Roger's grandma Clara...and her middle name is Barbara....for my mom.  Nana Barb beamed with pride and love......

Every day thereafter my mom would stop by before she went to work.  She would ask how the night had gone, and hold Claire and talk to her and kiss her and love her for a few moments, then head off to work.  Claire came to expect her morning visit from Nana....and cry when she left.  After about 8 months.  Yes.  I did say 8 MONTHS!  I finally said to my mom......"mom!  You have to stop coming every morning!  When you leave she cries and screams for you and my morning is toast.  Please.  Please.  Stop the sabbotage of my day!  Don't come every morning!  Please!  She fussed a bit but eventually agreed......Claire loves her nana.  She always has.

On Christmas Eve, Claire and her Nana Barb will play some prelude music before the worship service.  Claire on her violin which belonged to her great-grandpa Elko on Roger's side of the family....and my mom, her nana, on piano.  It's just a couple of traditional Christmas carols but it is so much more.  Claire is 17.  She leaves for Haiti next week to love on kids in an orphanage.  My mom is 69 and enjoying her retirement years.

If you happen to live locally and are free on Christmas Eve around 4:45pm.....stop by New Life Reformed Church to savor a beautiful gift of time between a grandma and her grand daughter.....for just a few moments.  These two women mean the world to me.....and to each other.....in ways beyond words.  Jesus knows.  He will be there, too.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Superbowl musings, Niki-style

-
 Last week I walked dogs in unexpectedly warm late winter afternoons.  I realized that when I don't walk regularly it matters.  This week I wanted to walk again but I am such a wimp and if it is cold or windy or rainy or all of those things put together, I don't want to walk outside.  I spend my work days in and out and in and out and cold and warm and cold and warm.....but today I needed to walk.  It was cold and windy and rainy.   I started my walking app that tells me when to walk slow, speed up, slow down, speed up and eventually cool down.  In my home office space in front of a cooking competition.  I looked ridiculous walking in place, dancing and prancing, moving foward and backward and working up a sweat but I got it done.  I sure did.   I got groceries because we were out of milk and I got food for "superbowl Sunday" which is not that different from any other Sunday evening.  My parents come over and we have snacks and drinks and then we eat together and clea
Read more

Family

-
Image
  These are my people.  My big kids gifted me for Mother's Day with a photo shoot organized and paid for.  It has always been hard for me to schedule family photos so this gift is extra special.  We did the photos late summer/early fall.  Our smiles do not reveal how hot or windy it was that day.  Yet and still we managed to get some really great pictures, thanks to our sweet and competent photographer...Cassie Beth.   Here is the thing.  This photo tells so many stories...so so many stories.  Each of the 9 of us could be a story, a novel on our own.  Then if you pair up any of the 9 with another, there are more stories to tell, and in groups of guys or girls still other stories to tell.  Looking at Roger and I....chapters and chapters of stories...and separate us out each of us is also a story.  Our lives are stories. I have told my kids over and over that their lives matter.  They were created by God to do something in this life that will expand His kingdom, give Him Glory and ma
Read more

mid-summer check in on being Aware

-
 I remembered today that I had been doing a monthly reflection since January.  I missed June...and apparently July.  Here we are on the second day of August and I find myself aware of it...aware of how June flew by and July slipped by and now I'm settling into August....aware.  June was a full month of ball games and volleyball competition and vacation.  It was also the last month of my fiscal year of my work as a public health nurse and that means there are lots of reports due and documentation needed to make sure we get funded again.  June was a lot and it was awesome...and hot....and busy.   July slowed down a bit with more nights at home, more lazy pool afternoons and a break from the heat.  We caught fireflies and we cooked more meals at home.  We decided to tackle a huge project long overdue and tore out carpetting in our main living area.  This carpet has been there for over 40 years.  It was gross and disgusting....suffice it to say that I am very, very aware of how unsettl
Read more