Quincy has just turned six and he's here for a few days while his mom studies for her law school exams. He's spent many many days with us over the years and he feels very comfortable here, building up memories that will take him beyond the lives of his grandparents. At six he's competent, observant, polite and funny. He really fits in here.
When we went today to a local nursery to purchase three memorial trees, Quincy and I walk into the office and the first thing we see is a large aquarium, kitty litter on its floor, and a large clean bowl of water. What could be living here? Quincy peers into a rock shelter and says, "Yellow rat snake!" Of course he's right and I feel so proud that he is beginning to know these things and recognize so many of the critters that live here. He knows the routes we take to get to things around here, and he knows the names and habits of many plants and human inhabitants. He's fearless about catching frogs and insects and as he flings his body around and gets scrapes and bruises I always cringe, and he always emerges from these accidents pretty much intact.
Now he wants to spend the night in his tent he's set up in the yard outside-the very last thing I want to do. So today, I hope that this idea will be forgotten as I tempt him into the house with the idea of watching "Charlotte's Web" before bed.
But tomorrow night I think I will have to be the grandma who really steps up to the plate. I will cram myself into the dratted tent (that I gave him for his birthday, what was I thinking?) and we will be more intimate than I'd want. I will curve my seventy year old bones into the back of this wiggly six year old, and we will listen to the sounds of the deer and the armadillos huffing and snorting in the yard. We will slap mosquitoes and I will tell Quincy the latest part of the story he finds so fascinating about how tools started.
We will admire the full moon and look at Orion. And then, finally, there will be total silence as he suddenly falls asleep in mid sentence. And I will be so thankful on the evening before Thanksgiving for all the blessings that are mine, even the shuffling of the armadillos and the lumps under my sleeping bag.
Molly..I met you here in Florida and you brought laughter and smiles to my face when you talked about your grandkids.I have two, a girl and a boy. My daughter had such a time with her pregnancies. We all did lots of prayers for her to have these two little ones. I have learned so much from my grandkids. I always have to find the energy to keep up with them. They both live in the Ozarks. I made sure I would be there for both births. So happy I was there. It was a delight to witness. They both would take me for a walk in the woods and tell me about every plant, which one was edible and good for you. Would also tell me about every animal, the ants, spiders, and snakes and which ones were poisonous and which ones were not. I could go on and on Molly. I love all your blogs and all were inspiring. Thanks for sharing a part of yourself. Christine
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