When my two boys were little, we frequented Lake Avenue Park in Huntington Beach. One particular afternoon when Steve had them both giggling and thoroughly enjoying themselves, an elderly man came up and approached us. He took just a moment and said with all sincerity(and maybe a little sadness in his eyes): “Treasure these moments, for they go by all too quickly Before you know, they will be all grown up”, and with that we watched him smile and travel on. It resonated with us both and many times when we have time for the pure abandonment of “play,” we reflect on that small incident.
Then recently I read something Andy wrote in a college paper. It was about trying so hard to be the perfect parent; Room mom, coach, scouts…all the roles we take on that we forget to just BE the parent. Be there, be in the moment. Just be the mom or dad!
Well all three of them grew up really fast, and I don’t know that I did a good enough job just being the parent, but God has tremendously blessed us with the chance of just BEing the grandparents of 4 beautiful kiddos. So we play a lot. Maybe a creaky grandma going down a slide might embarrass you, but Carson thinks it’s awesome.
And Steve plays tag until Carson falls on the ground with laughter (same with Abby and Daniel back at home).
And now our prayed over baby Soleil is here. Sorry, I’m not putting you back in your bed, you can just sleep on my chest, next to my heart because I’m BEing a grandmother!
Steve and I left home on Oct.11, 2013 to head out again to Orlando (for work) and Daytona ( to see my dad) and then to Panama to await the birth of our grandaughter, Soleil Naomi Wilt. The princess took her sweet time as she was 9 days late, but appeared on the scene at 20″ and 8lbs 12 oz. We are watching big brother, Carson, while mom and dad have a couple days at the hospital to rest up for real life.
That comes after we spend 10 days in a missionary compound where it is busy and we have been sequestered (my meaning=holed up) in two bedrooms. Our bedroom is about 8′ x 12′ with 4 bunk beds lining the walls with just enuff space to walk down the middle. Mind you, that and a bathroom is it! We make our meals in the communal kitchen and retreat to the bedroom. The bunks do not allow for sitting without hitting ones head. It feels like you’re getting in a drawer to go to sleep. But it’s clean and free and it is what it is.