Precious Time With HannaH

A couple of days ago, I picked HannaH up after school.  Well, I was already there, because I work at the same place that she goes to school, not at the school, but at the ministry.  We were so excited to spend the afternoon and evening together.  

First, we went to Tutti Fruti where grandma lets her get anything she wants.  She picked pineapple non-fat yogurt and then went on to pick out her toppings.  She picked a cherry, some strawberry slices, and some big blackberries.  What a healthy pick.  Good job HannaH.  Yogurt and fruit.  Oh...then we put on some gummy bears (two helpings), some gummy worms (in every color), rainbow sprinkles (of course), white chocolate morsels and maybe some other wonderful delights.  That is what grandma calls a balance meal, 1/2 healthy, 1/2 junk.  Perfectly balanced.

We drove home and HannaH used the clickers to open the community gate and the garage door.  It is fun for her to do it and fun for Grandma to see her have fun.  She chuckled knowingly when I told her how her daddy and her uncle Jason fought over who would get to use the openers when they were little.  After Jeff and Jason had grown too old for such things, I realized that they made the whole experience magical.  Without them then, and without HannaH now, opening gates and doors with remote controls is just another annoying thing to deal with.  That’s the difference between raising kids, and enjoying grandkids.  I now realize that some of the routine things that I took for granted with my kids are now some of my very favorite memories.  This time around, with my grandkids, I realize that God has given me the very special gift of appreciating the joy of all things childish.  Seems like every little thing grandkids do, thrill me no end.

Anyway then we went to drive the golf cart.  That’s when the magic really kicked in.  HannaH, being 5 now, can underhand, and is getting quite good at driving the golf cart.  She can put this in her little repertory of things to tell her friends, as most of them don’t get a chance to actually drive a motor vehicle like she does.  Oh, she was scared, she knew that she was unleashing some sort of power heretofore denied her.  She sat in my lap, making me assure her that I would take control whenever needed, and that we would not be hitting a tree, or car, or driving into a lake.  I was her protector.  She is a better driver every time she drives.  She’s growing and maturing and I get to watch.  That thought in my mind is like a cool breeze is to my body.

Then we went to the bridge where we go to feed the fish, ducks, and birds.  HannaH and I have been coming to the bridge for almost four years now, since she was a baby.  Now, we sometimes get to bring Isaac who adds happiness and excitement to our joy.   HannaH gets to teach him how to throw the bread, and he does it just the same way that she did.  He yells in delight (because he is all boy).  He throws some, eats some.  Some gets to the animals, some lands at his feet.  Yes, Isaac does the same things as HannaH used to do, but he was not with us today.

We sat on the bank and looked for any animal at all to feed.  Nothing.  Not a sign of life. We brought a couple of bagels and tore off some small pieces and threw them in the water.  Nothing.  Wait!  Here comes a couple of blue gills.  They take the bread with a big splash, splash.  Hmmm, the other fish must have heard them, because here they come.  Scores and scores of blue gills.  They’ve grown.  Last time we were here they were just about two inches long and now they are about eight inches long.  We were so surprised  (Note to self:  Don’t let so much time go by without feed the fish.  She is moving to San Marcos, you know.)  HannaH wondered where the catfish were and just as soon as the question came out of her mouth the catfish appeared.  There weren’t as many as before, but I told her that this is a fishing lake and catfish is good.  She seemed to take that in stride.  Look over there.  The gorgeous birds are coming with there shiny gold chests.  I wonder what kind of birds those are.   No ducks came.  We saw them, but they were “busy” sleeping.  

We each had a bagel that were tore from.  Soon HannaH had a better idea.  Grandma should tear the bread and put it in a pile in front of HannaH.  That’s exactly what I did.  When her pile was big enough, she would tell me to throw some of my own.  She does like to give the orders these days, and that is just fine with Grandma.  The bread ran out just as she tired of the whole thing and wanted to drive the golf cart again.  I knew that was going to happen.  I take just the right amount of bread.  I love knowing my granddaughter so well.  It’s in the day to day activities, the repetition, the time spent together that we learn about each other and strengthen our bonds.  

Off to drive the golf cart we went.  She got tired of that too and asked to turn towards home.  I had already done that.  I know her.  I took the controls and we drove fast with the wind in our hair and smiles on our faces.

It was during this time together, the golf cart ride and the fish feeding that she shared with me some of her feelings about moving to San Marcos.  She is looking forward to Sea World.  She knows that her mom has to unpack for a day! ha!  She likes the new house.  She’s looking forward to the beach.  I told her that she was a very lucky girl.  I didn’t tell her how desperately I will miss her.