Getting Ready

A little wooden rocking chair sits in front of the fireplace, overflowing with gifts, awaiting my grandkids visit. A rag doll with blanket, books (of course), music CD of lullabies, hockey, hockey, and more hockey stuff. A new car seat, a second-hand playpen, a doll highchair, teddybears everywhere waiting to play. We'll need new chains on the swings out back, clean off the porch. Ready the bedrooms, clean out the tub. We'll celebrate all their birthdays at once while they are here. Cook a Thanksgiving turkey, holding thankfulness in our hearts. The arms of the rocking chair, openly inviting. Gubba's arms and heart, waiting, wide-open.

Coupons

After having my appendix out one Christmas, I received some nice gifts from my colleagues. One of those gifts was a coupon book, full of coupons to give to my grandson. Some of the coupons were more suited for parents to give their children. Others I could give and my grandson could redeem from me. Now that he lives so far away, I thought the coupons would be ineffective. Not so. I could still send him a coupon that says; Redeemable when visiting Gubba, or, I could customize the coupon and send money/items to my daughter to redeem the coupons in my absence. My son's grandma did a very special thing when she visited us from Ohio. She wrote little notes on tiny pieces of blue paper and hid them in my son's room. For months after she had left, he would find these sweet notes in odd places. They made him feel special and loved. She also sent a calendar one year with special notes written on different days of the year; "Today's your birthday! Have Fun!" or "I'm thinking of you" or "I miss you soooo much!" Wonderful ways to show someone they are special to you.