Quiet moments.


I love those last few moments before Kasey gets tucked in to bed at night. The busy-ness of the day is left behind and the time for reading stories and saying prayers becomes a haven for this grandma. That's just it - after a long day for both of us, Kasey and I settle into who we really are - a boy and his grandma. It's our time to put behind us whatever stressors have made their unwelcome presence into our day. For me, those include this waiting for our closing to be done on our house, or the times I've had to raise my voice to a little boy who is being just that, a little boy. 'Eat your peas, Kasey.' 'No more chocolate milk until you have some bites of chicken, Kasey.'
'Please wash your hands, Kasey." Etc., etc., etc. (sigh).
For Kasey, it's putting the time outs he may have had at school behind him, or the words he may have said to grandma or grandpa which got him in trouble...all those moments which make a day upsetting to a 4 year old boy.
Tonight, the pain in my ribs was really bothering me but I wanted to read Kasey a story about Lightening McQueen and his ever present friend Mater the Tow Truck. When he saw that I was in a great deal of discomfort, he filled in the blanks...knows the book by heart...and recited it word for word just by memory and looking at the pictures. After the book, it's time to tell Kasey a story. He always tells me what the story should be about, and leaves the rest to grandma. :)
In those quiet moments, we also say Kasey's prayers - blessing everyone he can think of including 4 legged creatures he (we) love. Tonight we did a little detour from the prayers as he mentioned his doggie Mya and how he will see her when we visit Laurie in July. He can't wait - the love for her (and his mommy) brightening his little face with a beautiful smile.
We asked God to bless his daddy - and a side conversation with a quivering lip as he asked me why his daddy has to be in Iraq. My own lip quivered as I told him his daddy and all the other soldiers over there are brave and wonderful people who believe in making sure everyone is safe from the bad guys.
As we got near the end of his prayers, he was a little restless and I mentioned to him that when we talk to Jesus we should always pay attention to what we are saying. Which prompted a conversation about how Jesus died - "are those the same bad guys where daddy is grandma?"
(No, Kasey, but people are still not understanding why Jesus died which doesn't make them bad, just not understanding about Jesus).
In the end, we adjust his covers, turn the right nightlights on which allow him to read his book one last time for the day, and we say "Night Night, I love you" about 4 times until he is done asking last minute questions.
And I walk down the hallway....not feeling like a guardian at all.
Finally, I am just grandma. And I smile...just as I am smiling now.
God bless our troops and those who love them. Especially their children, who wait -and wonder just how long it will be before it isn't grandma who says their prayers with them, but their mommies and daddies.