This past week I visited my grown children and the little grand-children. I am persuaded that grand-children are the rewards for enduring a few decades on this planet. I have to share the fun things they did and said. My tiniest grandson, climbed up on the table, got right in the middle of it, discovered at that level he could look his mama in the eyes, and then danced a little jig! That was something to behold–a one year old sort of tap-dancing on the Thanksgiving table. Then when I was tasting the non-alcoholic egg nog he came over to me, made a motion that he wanted to taste too, so I let him drink from my cup. At first he did not seem to know how to do that but tried and spilled a little but then smacked his lips. Packaged egg nog from the store is very sweet and he loved it! Then he said, “mo” to me for “more” and I gave him a few more swallows. I could tell from the look on his face, that he thought i was the greatest person in the room at that moment! Then my next youngest granddaughter got into my lap, told me she was my “other daughter” and I corrected her to say, “my other granddaughter you mean” and then she chattered to me ninety miles a minute in a language I am just beginning to understand. I could clearly discern a few words, and her speech is improving. She is the “terrible threes” as they say in child development and her displays of emotional outbursts and tantrums got her a paddling. She is a precocious child however and wants to do everything the two older kids do. Speaking of the two olders: one a boy, one a girl. When they first arrived, they came flying into the house, hugged me, kissed me. They were so anxious about my healing fractures and wanted to see my leg without the splint to make sure all was there,and to feel the nails in my bones from the outside of course. That is something humbling I admit –that human bones may be mended with surgical screws and plates! My oldest granddaughter who is all of five, sang me the most amazing song. It astonished me! I had never heard anything like it, and she sang it so well. It was a song that had an adjective for each letter of the alphabet and it was certainly a thrilling song the way she sang it and the words. I considered myself honored beyond my imagination by those words and her singing of them. She is precious to me in every way and is the “Lydia” of the poem I wrote about “Little Lydia, lover of purple and pink” ballerina. She loves ballet and tap dancing and is quite the entertainer! My oldest grandson considers himself quite grown up though he is only eight. He is the big brother and he is very responsible and usually attentive to the younger ones. He holds and comforts the baby as if he were born to that role. I remember he and I praying more than a year ago now, for him a baby brother and GOD heard and answered, and he remembers that. He loves his siblings and he takes care of them as best he is able in playing carefully and not hurting them in any way. He is a delightful child and always delights me with his sweet spirit and congenial disposition. I enjoyed being with them so much–it did my soul good! They all presented me with their presents–a salt dough handprint that they each colored in their own patterns and colors to hang on the wall. Every time I look at that collection of tiny handprints on the wall, I am reminded of how blessed a woman I am, and how grateful to GOD I am for the love of children [though grown] and grand-children. Of many blessings, they are the greatest ones of all. Oh, I almost forgot–they sang a Thanksgiving song at the dinner table that the school had taught them, and it was well orchestrated and rehearsed and even pleasant, but what I did not like about it, was the focus of it was the meal itself and not the idea that all should give thanks to GOD the CREATOR. I acknowledge now GOD the CREATOR maker of heaven and earth and all humans and I give HIM praise and glory.