GRANDPARENT CHRISTMAS BLESSING

A grandparent Christmas is different than another Christmas?

It is for the willing, as in willing to keep things on schedule.

Not so much for those who set a time and place and use it for judging others.

Like everything else that goes one, things come up to delay the time.

But it doesn’t effect a grandparent Christmas because we’ve been on that side.

And we’ve tried to show up on time. And failed. For example:

I had plans one year to see my mom on Mother’s Day.

Plans changed and we didn’t make it.

I called to tell her. She decided it was as good a time as any to tell me the story of my conception.

In too much detail.

If her plan was to ensure I never miss another planned time together, it worked.

Christmas Fun

Snow, a tree, a dog.

What’s missing from grandparent Christmas?

Everyone else is inside.

On this grandparent Christmas, Granddad had dog duty.

My gift was to show my one year old doodle-dog is not an out of control menace, not disobedient, not a problem.

I used the same methods I’d used successfully before.

One of the kids said, “Now I see why Ruby acts like she does. Because of you.”

And they weren’t wrong.

A dog on the leash inside the house? Yes.

Hearing, “Why don’t you let her off the leash?”

“I do, just not with so many people around. She gets excited.”

“I’ll watch her.”

“Okay.”

“She needs to be on the leash.”

“That might work out better on Christmas.”

Birthday Near Grandparent Christmas

This is the card for baby boomer grandparents with a birthday near Christmas.

(Thank you, LA Diamond.)

I used to think grandparents were old.

Then I became one and I’m not any older than I was, which is a surprise.

Actually, becoming a grandparent kicked a few things into motion.

I got a hip fixed so I don’t fall down the stairs while giving baby a shoulder ride.

Got eyes fixed so I don’t miss anything.

And the biggest of all, the most important, I laid down the new law for my nieces.

New law: It’s good to see your faces.

Now, if the smart phones can smarten up enough to deliver texts in a timely manner instead of three hours late and miss a chance to spend time together, that would be a good present. (Hey Emilee.)

Speaking of presents: I fixed my gas fireplace last week, including a new remote.

But, I saved linking the remote to the receiver for Christmas morning.

I gave my wife a working remote for grandparent Christmas.

She said it was her best present.

And once again I marveled at the importance of timing, good timing.

After that, everything fell into place with my wife’s Herculean efforts cooking, my Atlas efforts in keeping things picked up, and surveying the best grandparent Christmas blessing:

Babies grown up to be parents I’m proud to know.

Do I notice any of myself in their parent relationships, marriage relationships, and grandparent relationships?

Yes, I do, and it’s marvelous.

(Thank you, Jesus.)