I spent about seven hours behind the wheel today driving to and from Santa Rosa to pick up precious E'lora. Mom and Dad get some off duty time, they're going to a concert in San Francisco tonight. I delighted in listening to our "Free to Be a Family" CD. Colin smiled when I told him, and he said, "I have two copies now." He talked about hearing it with new ears as an adult. "Here, Here!!! Amen," shouts GrandMuM.
When I arrived, E'lora was in a darling blue dress with white cutwork and perfect little pleats. She had a white bow in her hair and a little white shrug to wear if it got cold. A half eaten red apple was in her grasp. She kept busy putting her white sandles on and off during the ride. She slept for an hour on our way to Aunt Margie's for a family gathering to honor Herm, Fred's brother who recently died. E'lora got to meet many cousins and aunties. Jade and Carson and Sara and, of course, Auntie Coke charmed her well. She didn't like the dogs.
The next leg of our drive home went well. I had two suckers in her luggage for emergency entertainment. Not needed this journey! I forgot to change her before leaving, so she was pretty soaked when we got home.
What a talker! She was delighted to open up her suitcase and find her treasures. "Hat, pink hat," she exclaimed as she put it on. "Owl, bunny, puzzle!!!" She emptied the puzzle, put in the 2, and said, "Where's the 1?" She loves to ask "Where" questions.
"Couch," then she signed brown.
"Yes, a brown couch."
Another couch, the footstools are "tables." She loves their buttons. And she sure loves her Grampa. She was insistent that he come and look at the moon with us. Of course, he took her on yet another outside walk.
As bedtime approached, she was working all the angles to do other things. She wanted to swing, take a bath, eat, go potty, brush teeth. We did stop to brush teeth. One round of toothpaste wasn't satisfactory, but GrandMuM said, "You can have more in the morning."
As we lay down, she placed her head at the light coming under the door. I moved her mattress closer. She settled in with her behind hoisted in the air, like a marionette string had lifted her from above. Her milk bottle is cradled in her arm. Her first "sleep over" at Grampa and GrandMuM's, she's weaned now. The kids will sleep in tomorrow.... They'll come sometime to fetch her and enjoy some R and R in R and R (Rough and Ready) before they need to return to work.
As I lay with her, gratitude flooded my soul. The joy of singing again that old favorite that I sang more than a thousand times, "Hush Little Baby." I savored time to pray for fragile families in my circle of concern. I feel God's leading toward supporting families in some way. I'm old and wise now. "Lord, help me to listen..."
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