A Busy Day and the Joy of Life

It seems the day has been one that keeps me busy. Company for supper tonight. Haystacks on the menu, easy, fun and tasty. A long time friend of Emery's from the farm days is in town with his wife. It will be a nice evening to chat and perhaps walk down memory lane. I love to watch Emery's face light up as he talks about days gone by. He is a virtual history book of wonderful stories and of the world events that happened during them. Emery has a profound memory and remembers all the stories his grandfather told him about his life on the farm and of Emery's Great grand fathers arrival in Kansas. We need to record these stories for the future generations.

Yesterday I got out a new memory game that I purchased for the grand-babies and sat with Mei-Ling to show her how to play it. Its for ages 3 and up, but in a matter of minutes Mei-Ling had matched all twenty pairs without any help from me. Proof positive that her mother and father spend a lot of time teaching her and playing is such a way that she sees that learning is fun. I see myself over 2 decades ago, being that very same kind of mother. It warms my heart to see my daughter having such enthusiasm and energy in mothering. How I love to see my girls cook the same recipes I do, that my mother did, that my grandmother did. It is the pure beauty of tradition and I see it in the way Melanie mothers, it is as I did, as my mother did and as my grandmother did. Teaching through play and every moment loving the task. Wide open minds ready to be filled, frustration warded off by ability and by the freedom that knowledge brings.

Giving a child attention chases away the need for temper tantrums and getting into things they shouldn't. Negative attention remains the child's last tool in getting attention from parents who are preoccupied or lazy.

Mei-Ling has been having such fun with her new play cloths, dancing with them, hiding in them, dressing in them, having them float in the breeze that pushes through the open windows. I love this grand-mothering. It is getting to do all the fun things over again, with new eyes, eyes that know so much more and even more amazing to see one more generation of my family, seek to give a small child enriching experiences. And since Melissa has given her nieces gifts of baby markers, paper, triangular crayons, books to read and such, I know she will be that same kind of mother that has been in my family for generations. There will be music lessons and reading early, and play, lots of imaginative play. As much as I have to do today, I find myself thinking of ways to make fairies hanging from a mobile, daisy crowns for tiny ones, butterfly wings sewn from gossamer, and wondering if its time to make the letters of the alphabet out of super fine sandpaper, cork and other such materials to be traced by tiny fingers.

Life is exciting, too exciting to be busy mopping floors today or dusting furniture. There is a whole big world waiting to be explored, for me, I get to watch the delight in my daughters eyes as she points out the beauty of nature to her little one, but I get to see it in Mei-Lings when I am with them. I get to hear a little person learning new words, do so many new things. I thank them all the time for letting me be such a part of this wonder and delight. The gentleness and kindness and loving compassion and undivided attention from both Melanie and Casi towards Mei-Ling is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, and they do it all without spoiling her.

Mei-Ling enchanted by the beauty of otters swimming by her at the zoo

Casi reading to Mei-Ling as he does nearly every night

Melissa, about the same age as Mei-Ling, full of exuberance for life

Melanie, just about age two also, content to keep her tiny boat far up on shore and fish for sand fish and be in pretend water.