Sweet

This is the most wonderful time of the year! Family, friends, and food come together in one happy gathering after another. I scoured cookbooks and magazines to find the just the right holiday fare for our parties.

I came across recipes for orange nut balls and coconut joys in the 2013 Southern Living Christmas Cookbook, and I decided to make the cookies. I remembered the orange nut balls were one of my childhood favorites. The recipe is a simple combination of powdered sugar, vanilla wafers, and concentrated orange juice.

The grocery store stocked twelve ounce cans of frozen orange juice and the recipe called for a six ounce can of the juice. No big deal, I will just double the recipe and make more cookies. This sounded simple, until I begin doubling the other ingredients – two boxes of vanilla wafers, thirty-two ounces of powdered sugar, a cup of butter, and four cups of coconut. The mixing bowl was filled to the brim!

I thought I would never finish forming little sticky balls of dough and rolling them in coconut. I made coconut joys and peanut butter fudge balls, too. It was worth the tedious baking task because all the cookies came out great. I had treats for our Christmas parties and had enough to take gift plates to the neighbors. This simple gesture gave me a precious few minutes of visiting time with them rather than our usual quick hand wave greetings on the way to and from work.

The sweetest thing of all this year was celebrating my grandson’s first Christmas. He is a darling combination of his beautiful mother and handsome daddy. My grandson is so sweet; I can just eat him up – which is fine with me since grandsons have no additional calories!

Thanksgiving

*Over the river, and through the wood — 
   When Grandmother sees us come, 
      She will say, Oh dear, 
      The children are here, 
   Bring a pie for everyone.

My first Thanksgiving as a grandmother! We are measuring time in weeks now, our grandson is nine weeks old, but soon enough we will say months then years.  Now holidays, birthdays, family reunions, births and deaths will become part of his timeline.

People ask what is like becoming a grandmother.  I am summarizing it this way – it is a longing.  It is the most sincere deep feeling that cannot be satisfied until I see him again.  It is love.

This revelation has deepened my faith.  I have a broader appreciation that the goodness of the Lord is unfathomable.  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.  Jesus understands longing. He was born in a stable, died on the cross and sits at the right hand of God making intercession for us. 

I am full of thanksgiving for a wonderful life.  A life blessed with longing.  I yearn to taste and see that the Lord is good.  I want to seek His mercy when forging lasting friendships through joy and tribulation.  I want my grandson to know he is cherished.

It is time to move on to poetic reality.  I need to stop the puppy from chewing my husband’s socks and wash the breakfast dishes.  My father-in-law is coming over today.  The house is strewn with the remains of the day, and yesterday.  We are having a trim-a-tree party on Friday.

Life is busy.  Although, I am grateful to be old enough to appreciate time for contemplation – and the good taste to enjoy a delicious piece of pie!

*Over the River and Through the Wood by Lydia Maria Child

Smokey and the Bandit

My BDIL sent me a text asking if I wanted a puppy. I had to think about it. Our dog died a year ago and we had become accustomed to the solitude of not having children or dogs in the house. However, kids and dogs keep life lively. They don’t let adults just sit around, sleep in, or read the paper. Kids and dogs want someone to play with them, entertain them, and feed them. Children and puppies make us sweat the small stuff, and we love them for it.

Of course, this article is being written in retrospect. My husband finally said yes and we got the puppy, a darling Yorkshire terrier. We named him Smokey, but a few weeks into it and I’m thinking we should have called him Rascal. He is exploring every space that his nose or body can squeeze into and chewing everything else to bits. He is also doing a pretty good job of potty training us to be attentive to his prompts to go outside every three or four hours.

Smokey likes to eat, play, tear up newspapers, and snuggle. He is so cute. Last week his little folded down puppy ears turned into pointed little Yorkie ears. It was a poignant symbol of measuring childhood milestones.

Our puppy came to live with us on a Saturday and a week later our precious first grandchild was born. This seven pound and ten ounce boy has stolen our hearts. Holding our grandson is like winning a grand prize. This little baby is our joy – he can keep our hearts forever.

Grand

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers.  Proverbs 17:6

Our first grandchild is due in October and we already love him.  People ask me what I want to be called when the baby arrives.  I can’t think of anything better than being “grand” to someone. 

The sonogram picture reveals a little tipped-up nose and a tiny hand held in a thumbs-up fist. Our anticipation of his arrival heightens as his mother’s waistline expands toward the joyous occasion of meeting him face-to-face.

The expectation of becoming “grand” has me reminiscing about my own grandparents. My Grandmother Searcy was a feisty woman.  She cherished her family.  She loved Jesus all of her ninety-two years on earth.  She was as tall as she was wide which directed her to shop in the oxymoron section of the department stores when purchasing dresses to fit her petite-extra-large frame.

She had beautiful brown eyes full of love for her young grandchildren.  When we spent the night at her house she would tuck us in with a kiss and a prayer.  We woke tot a delicious breakfast of steaming bowls of oatmeal topped with scoops of ice cream.

Grandmother understood my childish eight-year-old curiosity.  She graciously opened her dresser drawers and jewelry boxes allowing me to explore items that were usually hidden behind closed doors.  This generous act of kindness kept me out of her hair for a bit while I touched silk scarves, smelled rose sachets, and tried-on heirloom pieces.

Born in the early 1900’s my grandmother had a strong sense of propriety associated with that generation.  She expected proper behavior and etiquette from her children and grandchildren.  Grandmother didn’t mind speaking her mind, but she was often subtle when making a point.

As evidenced when she thought the dress I was wearing in my wedding engagement photograph was a little too revealing.  She took a pen and added a bodice to my dress before displaying the picture on her bookshelf. 

Grandmother loved the independence of living in her own home, but her waning health required additional medical attention.  The nursing home’s convenient visiting hours and spacious living areas extended the visitation opportunities. 

Grandmother enjoyed the company.  Her family had grown quite large by now and all the people crowding into her room soon became reunions.  During our visits with her we shared memories and caught up with current events.   It was a delightful assembly of people with the same bloodline sharing stories, giving hugs, and laughing as we recalled childhood memories.

One evening, I was alone in the hospital room with Grandmother.  She was in a coma and had not responded to any conversations that day.  I decided to express my love for her before going home.

I told her how much I appreciated her faithful testimony.  I said it was a blessing to know she always prayed for me, my husband and our son.  I reassured her I was a Christian today because of her commitment to the Lord.

She never opened her eyes or spoke to me, but she lifted her arms above her head and began to proclaim, “Thank you, Jesus, for this testimony!”  I remained silent, cherishing the privilege of being in the presence of holiness as she spoke directly to the Lord.  I quietly exited the room.  She died the next day surrounded by her children.

Grandparents are the standard bearers for the family.  They have earned this recognition by moving up the ranks from parents to in-laws to the coveted status of grandparents.  It is with a heart full of love and humility that I anticipate my son and BDIL (beautiful daughter-in-law) bestowing upon me the position of grandmother – it is the most “Grand” time of my life! 

The Bluebird of Happiness

 I know all the birds of the hills, and all that moves in the field is mine. Psalm 50:11

In the spring a bluebird family returns to the birdhouse that I can see from my office, and it is true, bluebirds make people very happy.  The placement of the birdhouse is an ideal location to observe the life cycle of the birds from babies to adults because the nest is at eye level.  The baby bluebirds are so cute with their little beaks uplifted in anticipation of the next meal, but it’s their parents that are truly amazing to me. 

The bluebirds begin their task in chilly February by deciding if they want the little “apartment” located in our Texas Native Garden.  About a dozen bluebirds flock together under a large live oak and they take turns flitting back and forth to the birdhouse.  Finally, one couple claims the birdhouse as their home and they begin the delicate undertaking of constructing a nest.  It is delightful to observe these enterprising creatures carry sticks, grass, and other supplies into their abode as they prepare a soft bed for the eggs.

Every day the bluebirds return to perform the same rituals despite the heavy pedestrian traffic that passes by their little home.  People do not seem to bother the birds too much however; the birds flutter away to the safety of a tree or rooftop to create a distraction away from the nest.  When the area is peaceful again, the birds return to their tasks caring for the little ones or taking turns as a sentry.

My husband took a picture of the resident bluebird perched on top of the birdhouse, and in its beak is a bright green caterpillar.   I use the picture as the icon for my publications.  

Now, the stork is one of my favorite birds.  I like it because my son and BDIL (beautiful daughter-in-law) surprised us with wonderful news – their baby is due in October!  They are adding a precious addition to their lives and we are just delighted – it is the icing on the cake!