So Husband Robert and I took grandtwin Matthew to his rec department basketball practice this evening.
Matthew is the one with his arms spread in the white T-shirt.
His team is in a basketball dance, of sorts.
After practice:
Abu (my grandchildren’s name for me): “Did you have fun?”
Matthew:”Yes!”
That’s all that matters.
1. Robert’s and my annual holiday ritual of reading our beloved “A Cup of Christmas Tea” and “raising a cup of Christmas cheer to loved ones and family far and near.” (That includes YOU!)
2. Grandson Daniel singing “Hallelujah” with a chorus friend at the Savannah Country Day School Holiday Concert.
(Not that I’m a proud grandfather or anything.)
3. Having a fun early Christmas Luncheon Extravaganza (as I titled it) with ex-wife/great friend Donna at Savannah’s The Pirates’ House Restaurant.
4. Robert’s beautifully delicious and holiday-ish “Watermelon and Kiwi Breakfast Salad” sprinkled with fresh mint and nutmeg, and a side of pickled beets with jalapeño sauce and smoked paprika. (He sounded a little uppity to me when he explained the menu.)
The spiced oranges (we made last night) are pretending to lay low in the pic above. But are trying to steal the show.
5. And finally, recognizing and joyfully acknowledging that ….
Yes, they are. Look and you will see!
Blessed Christmas Eve to you.
A quick little post from back in 2014.
***************
Grandtwins Matthew and Madison turned two last Saturday. Here’s a memorable moment from the party when Matthew’s balloon got loose and floated to the ceiling.
Twin Madison shows keen interest but not much sympathy.
(The twins are nine now.)
Thanksgiving afternoon, after The Big Meal, the lucky thirteen of us in my big ole modern family …
… sort of scattered throughout hostess daughter Amy’s sprawling house, the adults congregating in the den before the obligatory football games, while the children (ages 3-17) did who knows what.
At one point, nine-year-old Madison resurfaced: “I’m bored. Matthew (her twin) and Gabriel (her cousin) won’t stop playing video games.”
“Go outside for a while,” wise Nana suggested.
Checking on her a bit later, I saw a now-spirited Madison and a growing pile of sticks. She loves artsy endeavors—note her self-made turkey hat? … bandana?
And then a bit later (who knows how long, the tryptophan was working on me), Madison asked the adults to “Come see what I made!”
Those adults who were still conscious rambled outside to find … an outdoor pop-up art installation!
“A free-form, aesthetically pleasing amalgamation of found object natural elements representing both land and sea,” I immediately thought upon seeing the piece.
“Huh?!” Madison seemed to think in response, judging from her body posture.
Oops, a few last-minute touches …
As self-proclaimed artistic judge, I found the work dazzlingly daring yet delicate, detailed and deeply thoughtful, while being both dreamlike and dynamic!
“Huh?!” I even asked myself.
The artist was then joined by little sister/helper Isabelle (3) …
The Joy of Grandchildren and … Art!
Some fourteen years ago, when older daughter Amy announced that she was pregnant with our first grandchild, I was both ecstatic and a tad nervously hesitant. A grandfather?! Seriously?! At this stage in my life? Am I even old enough to be a grandfather … officially?!
The old blog post below explains (in excruciating detail) how I ended up being called “Abu” (Abuelo = Grandfather) by that first grandchild Daniel—and all the other ones who came later.
Younger daughter Emily is a whiz at making custom t-shirts, so she recently created these two for Robert and me. Grandson Daniel came up with the idea of calling Robert “Rbu” to go along with my “Abu,” making us a weirdly matching set.
The old Abu post …
And here are a few early pics of Daniel and me …
And Daniel today …
Yes, my favorite word is “Abu.”
For my recent suxteee-seckth birthday, I celebrated with my big ole’ modern family …
… at Savannah’s Tequila’s Town restaurant in Sandfly.
(Seriously? Can you believe they come hooting “Happy Bday” laden with tequila for the celebrant! Even though I had my large head prepared for an oversized sombrero and some flan.)
Post-tequila I received some neat gifts, but perhaps my Favorites came from five-year-old grandtwins Madison (inappropriately pictured above next to the tequila) and Matthew. Their mom let them pick out their gifts for me. Madison gave me a pink unicorn in a love mug …
…while Matthew opted for a brown bear that actually smells like chocolate when you rub it vigorously!
(Matthew is in an over-smiling-for-the-camera stage.)
Oh, they also each got me a large skein of yarn–yellow from Madison and green from Matthew. Not that I knit (who has the patience for that?!), but because they like to unravel the yarn, make giant spiderwebs and throw it all over the furniture and each other.
Thus, inspired by the tequila, when I got home I opted for a quick photoshoot to document my suxteee-seckth.
Moral of Story: the strangest little gifts ofttimes make for the biggest shots of … Joy.
Last evening I went to a fun but bittersweet farewell party for good buddy Ellie Covington (who is Texas-bound, Galveston).
After a torrential downfall forced the party onto the carport, the late-stayers ventured out onto the dock by the marsh and saw this …
(Do you see the second one to the right?)
Of course, we all had to get a little silly.
I quickly texted the pic to my fam and got this response from daughter Emily (mother of grandtwins Madison and Mathew) from the other side of Savannah:
“We can hold it too!”
The joyful promise of a rainbow!
May the excitement and happiness of children be with us all, especially Ellie as she makes her move to the next successful stage of her life!
I hope your Father’s Day (and night) 2015 has been a peaceful and joyful one. Mine was/is. Spent time with both daughters and all four grandies. What a blessing to have them all in my Savannah. My cards:
And an incredible Facebook post by older daughter Amy:
“Happy Father’s Day to my very hip and high impact dad! I am blessed to have a dad who taught me to love without discrimination, to have joy in all circumstances, and who creates an environment of safety and acceptance where I am free to develop into my best and truest self.”
What a Difficult and Unparalleled Joy Fatherhood is!
NealEnJoy 