Or, at least, my brilliant grandchildren do.
Mackie and Abbi and their mom came for the weekend - Sunday through Monday - overlapping our fabulous guests from NYC who were here Friday through Sunday. It was a full house but an even more joyous time to be with family and friends.
It's my favorite part of having this wee cottage on Rehoboth Bay we call Llangollen.
This morning started rainy and awful, but by 10 AM everything had stopped and the sun came out. We were in the car by 11:30 and spent two full hours on the beach before Ms. Abbi (who is only three, after all), crashed and wanted to go "home" - back to what she calls "Grammy and Nanny's Beach House".
Ms. Mackie found a carcass of a horse shoe crab with a few of what she insisted were "snails" attached.
She was absolutely THRILLED!
The surf was very rough. One fairly violent wave crashed at her feet and deposited this gem, ripe for the plucking.
"It was like the ocean gave me a gift," she said.
She plans to bring it home and put it next to the one I found for her three years ago.
Yes, she still has it. On her bedroom bureau. Along with some of the rocks and drift wood and other shells she has collected over the years.
Some of the 'pearls of wisdom' out of the mouths of my two babes:
Abbi to Mackie, "I think the ocean is mad at us. Why? What did we do?"
Mackie, to Abbi, "Oh, Abbi (laughing like a wise old woman of 8 years), nobody did anything. It's just the way the ocean IS. Just don't EVER turn your back on the ocean! You never know what it's going to do."
Abbi to me, thinking about the choices for lunch, "I think I'll have the chicken tenders. I don't think I've had enough protein today."
Mackie to Abbi, "Okay, let's have the chicken tenders, but we should have the M&Ms for dessert. We haven't had ANY chocolate today." (My girl!)
Abbi to me, "Nanny (she calls me 'Nanny', not 'Nana') during lunch on the beach, "I love the ocean, and I love chicken tenders, but you know what? I love you more. I even love you more than M&Ms. And I LOVE M&Ms more than anything. . . yeah . . .(giggle and wiggle dance). . except YOU." (This was followed by a HUGE hug that just about melted me on the spot.)
Abbi to Mackie, in FULL drama mode, "I got sand in my bottom. I HATE sand in my bottom. Sand is NOT for bottoms - except the bottom of the ocean!"
Mackie to Abbi, who sat up suddenly while they were working in the sand, "Did you feel that?"
Abbi to Mackie, "What, 'Tenna' (her name for 'Mackenna')?"
Mackie to Abbi, "That ocean breeze. Did you feel it? Isn't it GREAT?"
Abbi to Mackie, "Yeah (agreeing but sounding a little bored), the ocean has been kissing me ever since I got here."
Abbi to her mom, "Grammy and Nanny love us sooooo much. They even love us . . . um . . .(thinking, thinking, thinking, then hands in perfect orans position) . . . when we're all sweaty!"
As they were getting ready to leave, Abbi suddenly stopped short, looked at me and said, "But, Nanny, who's going to stay with YOU?"
"Oh," I said, "I'll be here with Lenny and CoCo (our two pups)."
"But, Nanny, we better call Grammy. You can't be here alone."
"Don't worry, lamb chop, I'll be fine," I said as I folded towels.
When I looked up at her again, she had a big tear running down her cheek, "But, I don't want you to be alone," she said, throwing herself into my arms.
"Where's your cell? I'll call Grammy right now."
Mackie to Abbi, "Oh, don't worry, Abbi. Nana is a priest. She needs to be alone sometime, so she can talk with God."
Abbi, looking at me astonished, "You talk to God?"
"Yup, I do."
"And God talks to you?"
"Yup," I said, "it's called prayer."
Abbi thought about it for a few seconds, shrugged her shoulders and said, "Okay, as long as God is going to be here. I need to go home so we can be with Daddy."
And that was that.
God is, in fact, here. But, you know, I gotta say, God never seems more present when my grand babies are here at Llangollen in the summer.
14 comments:
Out of the mouths' of babes.
much more profound than the Art Linkletter TV shows of my childhood where the whole goal was to get kids to share with all the viewers whatever their parents did not want anyone to know about ...
Ya oughtta write a book. I LOVE These vignettes.
Suzanne - well, out of the mouths of MY babes ;~D
You know, Elaine C, you're right. That was the point of the Linkleter show. Very different from my two babes.
Thanks, IT, but I think the market is already super-saturated with "cute". If this were written about someone else's kids I'd probably not be as amused.
You are very kind - and y'all are are very generous to put up with this sentimental Nana.
Hon, it's not the kids. It's the whole package. Your stories about being a pastor to your flock.... the conversations with the people. The old lady you visit in the home. The man who writes you from outta state. It's the face of ministry and real life. Not to mention the Gay Agenda.
I often read your posts to BP (she's a knitter and likes to be read to). We love 'em. You often make us both cry, in a good way. (We're of an age. We do that).
Just saying.
How sweet! I'm glad you share these things. We've not been blessed with children, so I find it wonderful when moms or Nanas relate such stories on the internet. Gives me a moment to savor the beauty of having children in one's life. I hardly consider it "putting up" with you, though I guess some less sentimental types might.
Thank you for sharing these moments. :)
Thanks, IT. Now I get it. It's the vignettes - my "conversations with" - and not just the ones where I brag on just a wee bit about my babes.
Well, I'm still flattered. Ms. Conroy says it's just that I've never gotten over writing "Verbatums" for CPE.
Suzer - Oh, the 'non-sentimental' types - male and female - write me every so often and tell me when they think my writing is not up to "blog standard" - which, apparently, has a huge market share for the outrageous, and the outraged.
I don't care. I'm a Nana. I get to brag on my babes every so often.
It's in the "Nana Handbook". Right there. On page one.
Very sweet!!! I love the "You talk to GOD??" part. :)
Note to Whiteycat whose account is having "fits" again and not letting her sign in: Thanks, my dear. A book? Well, maybe in my spare time.
Absolutely PERFECT theology. ALL of it.
I think most kids are perfect theologians, Susankay.
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