Monthly Archives: January 2014

Grandpa Diary #43

Grandpa Diary, Hey, Grandpa!, ,

stuck

Dear Kaylee,

Well, you sure are exploring now. When we put you on the ground on a blanket, you start moving in the “roll and scooch” method. Nana said you rolled over to the Entertainment Center and then couldn’t roll anymore, but you kept trying rather than roll back. You’ll get the hang of it.

My favorite picture of this, though, is what I call, “The roll, scootch, Oh Oh!” You see in the picture that you scooched under your jumpy thingy and were trapped. Love the look on your face.

“Hey, Nana, what the heck? How did I end up here?”

Nana just started laughing at you and you laughed back. Here’s the thing. You will “roll and scooch” a lot in your life. We call this “exploring” and “stretching,” like I talked about before. But, the most important thing to remember is this…

Your mommy and daddy and the rest of us are there with you as you explore and stretch. Your heavenly daddy is with us, as He is with you, too. God adores you more than the rest of us a trillion times over. You will understand that. In the meantime, we all will be there and make sure that if you feel, “trapped,” freedom is as close as our love for you.

Carry on scoocher…

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #42

Grandpa Diary, , ,

pilates-and-men

Dear Kaylee,

“Stretching” is an important part of our lives. We are designed to stretch because is is good for our bodies. Stretching becomes more important as we get older. It is the one key of good health that I don’t think most of us realize the importance. stretch every day and I try to take pilates twice a week to keep my stretching even more focused. I like how my pilates instructor always gives me an extra stretch when I seem to be at the end of certain movements. This just means that I can stretch more than I think.

I have always loved to watch you stretch. From the first day I saw you, you have been stretching. There are categories of stretch for you.

Category One: Stretch for stretching.
Category Two: Stretch because you want something.
Category Three: Stretch because you want someone.

Three is just starting and it is so much fun to see you start reaching out for those you know best. It is a one arm stretch. Grandpa got his one arm stretch this morning along with that first morning smile when you come over. It is a great combination!

When you get older you will learn about other stretching. Stretching your mind and stretching your spiritual life will be just as key as physical stretching. The biggest difference is this.

As you get older, your flexibility will decrease, but you still need to keep on stretching more than ever. Hence Grandpa finds himself using those strange looking Pilates machines. However, as you get older, your mental and spiritual stretching can actually increase. In fact, that is how we are designed. You can get more flexible as you age, expanding your mind and expanding your openness to God.

So, right now, you and Grandpa are in the same situation in our lives. Learning to stretch even more.

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #41

Hey, Grandpa!

Mommy and Kaylee

Dear Kaylee,

I went out to spend the afternoon with you and your mommy on Monday. I wanted to go for a walk and watch you while your mommy could get some stuff done around the house. We ended up going for a walk to a restaurant and the grocery store. You slept most of the way and your mommy and I could catch up on life.

You see, Kaylee, having you in our lives is a double joy. There is the joy of watching you grow and how so many things you do now are new. Nana and I get such a kick out of your expressions and your mannerisms. We just enjoy Kaylee, period.

Then the double blessing is to see how joyful your mommy is. When you are with her, it is like going to Disneyland every day! We have never seen your mommy so happy so much! There is nothing more precious than to see your children filled with joy. Everything else in the world gets a little more balanced, a little less hectic, and a lot more “right.”

Nana and I are so blessed because we get “child joy” and “grandchild joy” at the same time. That’s a double dose!

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #40

Grandpa Diary

Dear Kaylee,

You are 6 months old now! I am watching you look at the world and you are discovering so much each day. Sights and sounds fascinate you. My current favorite thing to do is sing with you. I discovered something the other day…

We are walking along and I am singing when all of a sudden you start making sounds right along with me. Even keeping the same rhythm.

Kaylee, you are a singer, too! You are designed by God to sing praises about how wonderful it is that you are alive and growing in his world. It’s a beautiful sound when you sing those words in your “Kaylee” way. Singing in the Spirit with what you have been given.

We will keep on singing.

There is so much to be thankful for and when Grandpa sings out, you will always know, he is so, so thankful for you.

Love,
Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #39

Grandpa Diary, , , , ,

close up Christmas Kaylee

Dear Kaylee,

Well, your first Christmas is over. I am writing this as I look at a framed picture of you sitting on Santa’s lap. You two got along fine. Yes, Christmas was a whole lot of pictures of Kaylee in many different Christmas outfits. You were involved in much hustle and bustle, but you didn’t seem to mind. Several dinners in restaurants even, and you made it just fine.

My favorite memory of your first Christmas is about the real Christmas. When we celebrate Jesus being born. This is a big deal. What does it mean?

It means we can finally understand God for the first time because he comes to us on our terms. If we are going to be in a relationship with God, he has to address us in our terms, in a way we will understand. And so God does.

God comes as Jesus and, Kaylee, everybody gets it. Who doesn’t love a baby? Who doesn’t want to be around a baby? O, people may think they don’t want to be around a baby, and then one actually shows up and smiles, and all bets are off.

So, what is my favorite first Christmas memory of you?

You are at the altar when Grandpa is telling all the children the Christmas story. Your mommy sits with you off to the side. My baby girl with her baby girl listening to the good news of Jesus.

What could be better?

Now we get it.

Love,
Grandpa