Our oldest granddaughter will be eight years old in about two weeks.
Time seems to be flying by.
I experienced the warp speed of time with my own children.
Now, I am experiencing it with my grandchildren as well.

This particular young lady loves to be outside.
She is a voracious reader; books are something we always talk about when we’re together.
She loves to go outside and swing on the swing set.
That is where she does her best imagining.

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This past weekend, I went to a conference.
I have gone to this conference every year since it began.
This annual conference celebrates creativity, collaboration, and community.
What a joy to be among others who love beauty and manifest it in various ways.

Artists, writers, and musicians come together to listen to wonderful speakers.
Breakout sessions, quiet places to relax and reflect, and sweet fellowship nourish the soul.
It is something I look forward to every year.
I always return home with a full heart.

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My youngest grandson is now two-years-old.
He is in a big boy bed.
Gone is the crib he slept in for two years.
Now he shares a room with his four-year-old brother.

Not only is he in a big boy bed, he is in a bunk bed.
His brother sleeps on the top bunk.
He sleeps on the bottom.
Dinosaur sheets and comforters complete the room.

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Our daughter came over for the afternoon with three of our grandchildren.
Our other granddaughter went to a baseball game with her daddy.
It was her turn to have that special one on one time.
Her sister, my oldest grandchild, enjoyed being the only girl, though she didn’t admit it.

I watched this now seven-year-old come into the house in her cute skort and t-shirt.
I saw her adorable choker around her neck, which we bought together on our Grandma day.
It makes me feel so grown up, Grandma, she told me in confidence as she fingered the choker.
I remember the little things that made me feel grown up not so long ago.

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My son, daughter-in-love, and two of my granddaughters came for the weekend.
We all went to my daughter’s church.
All the cousins were able to be together.
They got to see each other again after being with each other the night before.

We all went to an ice cream shop the night before.
I stood back and watched as major decisions were made.
The excitement was palpable.
I watched the young high school students scoop out all the desired flavors.

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It was my food shopping day.
I usually go to the grocery store in the morning.
However, this day, my husband and I went out to breakfast with friends.
I knew that I would go to the grocery store in the afternoon.

Every week, I could easily call my grocery order into the store.
Of course, there are variations, but often, I am replenishing the same items.
I am restocking my pantry.
Mostly, I am buying fresh fruits and vegetables that get eaten far too quickly.

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It was another Grandma day.
I picked up my oldest granddaughter from school at noon.
She is in kindergarten and goes half day, three days a week, and all day, the other two days.
She ran out of school and gave me a big hug, which of course, warmed my heart.

I had a little snack ready for her in the car.
I was driving her back to our house so she could have lunch with Grandma and Pop-Pop.
I always let her choose the music we listen to as we drive.
This day, she wanted to talk, and talk she did…all the way home.

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I have been listening to Louisa May Alcott’s books.
I had read Little Women when I was in school and re read it a few years ago.
Hearing the books, read in their entirety, was a special experience.
Obviously, the stories take place in a different era, but there are many similarities.

Listening to Little Men, Old Fashioned Girl, and Rose in Bloom, I enjoyed the characters.
Women are women, despite the era.
Friendships are deep, when they are based on the things that matter.
Friendships are superficial when they are based on frivolous things.

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This Whisper was originally published on May 25, 2013. My husband’s father died 11 years ago but the memories and the recognition of his service are still just as important.

My husband’s father died last year.
He extensively researched the family genealogy.
We were all given a book many years ago, with the complete genealogy, up to that time.
He told his children that it was up to them to continue the story.

More grandchildren and even great-grandchildren have been born since then.
Each of our homes has this sturdy link to the past.
For my five children it is a priceless gift.

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My little granddaughter just had her fourth birthday.
Her mommy and daddy had a little tea party for her on the weekend.
My daughter and I drove together and brought my other two granddaughters.
The little birthday girl had her cousins, a few friends, and her baby sister to celebrate with her.

All the little girls wore dresses.
It was a beautiful spring day and they began by playing outside.
There were princess figures on the ground, and play tea cups and saucers.
A tea cart, laden with pretend food, was pushed around the yard and patio.

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