Our eldest grandson turns six tomorrow, August 10. Happy Birthday Sam!
One day Sam, you will understand how you helped turn our “world” into one filled with magic and wonder. You weren’t the first to do that however. Your uncle Nick and your Mom were, but they weren’t as perfect as you! Perfection is reserved only for GRANDCHILDREN.
“Being a grandmother is our last chance to act like a kid without being accused of being in our second childhood.” – Janet Lanese
My current life is filled with proof of the above quote. The bird on my head in the photo below is just the tip of the iceberg. Thanks to you Sam, I have photos of me playing in the dirt, climbing on a playscape, and hiking up a slippery hill with the hope that I land on my feet instead of on my rear end.
Then there are the times we spend together where every piece of art equipment in the house is used to create a joint masterpiece. Let’s face it: you can never have too many art supplies!
Finally the magic of baking. You on the stool and me trying hard not to sample too many goodies. The clean up was always interesting. It appears that you cook just like our master chef – Grandpa. Always focusing on the creative part, not so much on the aftermath….
Very soon we’ll be eating cake, singing happy birthday, and generally celebrating your big day.
With any luck my “elephant memory” will hang on to your special day to relive the magic again and again.
Love, Grandma.
It’s been a bit more than a month since I turned 59. As I consider my own transitions I’m also struck by those of my grandchildren. Sam (5 years 9 months) is in his last week of Kindergarten. We recently attended a show where he performed a Spanish dance with the entire class of Maxwell Elementary. The children were in costume and paired up. Sam looked so grown up! It seems like just seconds since his birth made me a Grandma. He and his 2 1/2 year old brother Gabriel have filled my heart. They are more incredible than I could have imagined, and I have quite an imagination!
It’s been almost twenty years since my mother-in-law died and yet May, her month, still fills me with memories. Her birthday was May 9 which seemed so appropriate with its proximity to Mother’s day. She was the consummate mother. She always remembered the little things that really are the big things. Birthday cards were never late!! Her journals were filled with positives; not one critical word. She saw only the best in people.
She was so excited to see Nick that she planted a big, very visible lipstick kiss on his cheek! It touched my heart so, I knew this was something I had to draw. I wanted to make it special so I drew a heart of flowers around the portrait. Prior to that time I had not been an avid flower painter but this event got me started down a new path. I hope you enjoy the drawing – to me it’s a golden oldy, loaded with sentiment!
Artful Passages 