The Greatest Great

All grandparents think that their grandchildren are the best right!  So I know that as much as I think our newest family member is the Greatest - - - You may beg to differ - - - but I hope you enjoy meeting our Great Grandson Grayson.

                                Grayson and dad

First thing that I'm sure popped into your mind - knowing that I'm a 55 year old is how could I have a great grandson already!!  Interesting twist in our family tree is that our daughter and favorite son-in-law are an "age gap relationship" and so the young gentleman in this picture is Ben - he is my grandson by marriage and as you can see - Grayson is his look alike son - hence - I'm a great grandma!!  I love it!!  We have been blessed with the family that our daughter married into - but now back to the star of the blog today . . . 

                   Grayson and Grandma Casey

                                  

Grayson is nearly one year old but he has stolen my heart in this short time.  It's interesting to me that I feel "different" in my role as great grandma.   I'm very used to being "grandma" to now 6 kids.  Our son has 3 girls and our daughter is a step mom to 3  - and so they vary in age from 11 to 29 (I think).   I know my role - I spoil them - I advise them - I pray for them - I enjoy spending time with them.     The great grandma role is still sinking in . . . I watch my daughter and SIL be grandparents and they are doing it up right!!  I find myself showing his pictures and videos to the gals at work - bragging about him - - - and I couldn't feel prouder!    But my role is not to be the grandma and grandpa . . . he has four of them . . . they babysit for him . . . buy him things he needs . . . take him to parks or for rides in the wagon . . . they teach him and sing to him . . . they worry over him . . . they get to show him off - he is their's!!

                 Grayson on Crazy Hair day at Daycare

                                     Grayson and Grandpa

But . . . every now and then . . . when no one is looking . . . Great Grandma Teri gets to steal some kisses or walk the floor or read a story . . . yes read a story . . . I have decided that is my "thing" to do with Grayson . . . He is being read the little Bible we gave him already . . . he has wonderful parents who are also doing it right!  

So . . . as I take on a new role to me . . . I am so thankful for the love and care that this little baby is getting - - - prejudices aside - - - he is absolutely the best - - - happy - healthy - smart - loving - and so funny!!!   

And every chance I get . . . you will find me here . . . 

The search is over . . .

I have been searching far and wide for the perfect patio lounge chair.  Thought I wanted to go vintage like this:

Or cheap like this above:

You see I have four really nice chairs on my patio - but they are only comfortable for about l5 minutes - then I start to squirm and get restless and go back to the house for a better chair.  

Everyone raves about the new anti-gravity chair - I don't care for the look - but last night even gave into that as hubs and I tried to open one up in the middle of Alco - couldn't figure out the locks - fought with it to get it to fold up - or NOT fold up when I tried to sit in it - - - we gave up - - - I gave up - and just felt like after two years of searching - I was done.

This morning was Saturday and I woke up at 7:30 - fixed some coffee and headed in my nightgown to the patio.  Patio looked very inviting - It's Flag Day - June 14, and so I had my flag flying in the wind . . . the wind . . . yes . . . I sat in my "sorta comfy chair" balancing my Bible, journal, phone, devotional, and oh yes a cup of coffee on my lap . . . 

Psalm 34:  The eyes of The Lord watch over those who do right.  His ears are open to their cries for help.  The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.  He rescues them from all their troubles.   The Lord is close to the broken hearted and he protects the bones of the righteous.  He takes care of all of our needs.    

Knowing that,  as the devotional material says,  can allow us to live simply and not in want . . . "Simplicity is not about going WITHOUT - but going WITH GOD through the beautiful journey of a life lived in the simple abundance of grace.

I loved the message - I thought of my terrible shortcomings in the area of acting like God would act - I reflected on all of my blessings, and the desires of my heart, the desire to have the perfect patio - or the perfect home - or the cleanest vehicle - - - and then it came to me . . . 

I don't NEED the perfect loung chair for my patio - - - AFTERALL - - - and I had been thinking this - but ignoring it - - -I live in KANSAS for heaven's sake - - - today the wind is blowing at tornado like strengths just for kicks - - - I had some early morning cool weather with some awesome shade - but very soon - it was 91 degrees and sunny in my little corner - - - it rains - it hails - the chairs need to be stored inside or they blow around - get weathered - or chewed on by a dog . . . the amount of time that I really have to lounge on the patio and take naps out there - - - is very small - - - and right then I knew  - - - my search for lawn furniture was over.  I have what I need . . . stop searching . . . stop wanting . . . I have always wanted a patio - - - now I have it - and the search is over.    At least for the moment . . . I found peace.

Time to read!

After a week's vacation spent at home with my granddaughter - I look forward to a little down time for reading.  Not that I don't wish she was still here - and each day was packed with fun things to do!  Somehow this little girl of 11 years has seemed more like a best friend to me than a child I "take care of" when she comes to visit . . . but that's a subject for a day when I can better put it into words . . . 

I have some books on loan also from my local library and will probably have to return a couple before I actually get them all read this summer - but it is my goal to finish up my first book of the summer and move right on into the first of three books written by Jane Green.  I picked the books due to their covers and their titles . . . after all who hasn't wanted to "Swap Lives" or get a "Second Chance" and especially live in "The Beach House"??

As soon as I can wrap up with "Snow Melts in Spring" which is nearly a finish . . . I will be starting in on Jane Green's Swapping Lives . . . 

Thanks to Rachael for sponsoring this week long read as many library books as you can event!

Check it out here.

Happy Reading everyone!