My husband and I just returned yesterday late in the afternoon from visiting our grandchildren up in Maryland. It was a wonderful visit since we arrived in time to celebrate Penny’s fourth birthday with her! Or at least most of it was wonderful. But more about that later. Here are the darlings at the party.

Evie is almost eleven months old now and is a little “darling” , which happens to be her middle name. Penny asked for a rose-themed party, so her other grandparents got her roses for her birthday. Doesn’t she look like Miss America? Or at least a younger version of one?!?

Anyway, we had a wonderful visit and the Lord gave me a Scripture to go along with our time with our loved ones.

I love every one of our nine grandchildren and I feel so blessed to be able to visit the younger ones, since I had a stroke just a month before Penny was born. My crown, my reward for being elderly and all of the aches and pains that it entails, is being able to be with our grandchildren and enjoy all of their cuteness. But I also pray for each of the grandchildren, that they will have a close relationship to God and learn to fear Him.

I taught history for several years during my teaching career and I can remember teaching the story of Ponce de Leon who really wanted to find the Fountain of Youth. If he had only read the Holy Bible, he would have discovered it long before his many journeys and adventures seeking it. I pray that each of my grandchildren will discover this secret and that I will be able to see each of them in Heaven someday.

As far as our trip goes, it was a busy visit as usual. Sunday was the birthday party and a princess movie. Monday was a trip to the YMCA and a sports class for Penny. She participated in basketball for the first time and really enjoyed learning how to dribble and making new friends. Tuesday was a trip to the local Chick-Fil-A where they had story time with a princess. Penny dressed as Anna and Evie was Olaf. I got a photo of Penny with the story teller who was also dressed as Anna. Little Olaf is on my son’s lap. She does adore her daddy! But she refused to keep on the Olaf hat which was also his face. Oh, well!

We had planned to return home on Wednesday but my husband came down with a bad stomach virus on Tuesday night and there was no way we could travel home that day. So we stuck around an extra day, a day which turned out to be a blessing for me because Evie got used to me enough to let me hold her and play with her. Until that time, I had to be content with her hand wave from a distance and her kisses from the arms of a parent. But once she warmed up to me, we were able to play together and laugh and have so much fun! I told Penny that she was never timid around me, but Evie is because she doesn’t get to see me much and doesn’t know who I am. It seems we need to visit more, right?

Unfortunately, by the time we got home late yesterday afternoon, I was ill. I went right to bed, only leaving the bed to throw up and then return to the solace of the pillows. So was the visit good and worth it? Yes! Resoundingly, yes! I am finally out of bed (twenty-four hours later) and able to hold down jello and crackers, so things are looking up. My husband did a load of his laundry and then lay down again. This stuff is a real bugger and doesn’t seem to want to let go!

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, take time to enjoy those around you. We each have today, but none of us is promised tomorrow unless we have our eternity planned with the Lord. I hope that you have a blessed evening and a wonderful weekend, filled with love and laughter and the peace that only comes from knowing the Lord!

Note: Here you go, Stu. As promised. Pictures of my grand babies.