Happiness is Being a Grandma

Yesterday excitement was in the air. The day finally came when my family and I would take a final walkthrough of our new home in Virginia before the settlement (closing). These events were enough to place me on "cloud nine" but there was an additional surprise. After dinner, my husband, son and I would meet outside my daughter and son-in-law's house for a nighttime walk around their neighborhood to look at the Christmas decorations. 

Gratitude Leads to Happiness

Delighted to become new homeowners in Virginia.

 

Anticipating seeing my little granddaughters, I decided to place a present in the red sleigh so Sierra would feel some pre-Christmas joy. After all, this would be our only face-to-face Christmas contact. Due to COVID-19 there would be no touching, no hugging, and no kissing.  But a whole bundle of love would float from our hearts to theirs. 

Over the highway and through the neighborhoods

To granddaughters' house, we go.

The car's GPS knows the way

To carry the gift today

Through cold and windy flow.

©CV, 2020

(Adapted from Thanksgiving Day Over the river and through the wood  by Lydia Maria Child)

We arrive and I carefully place the tiny back with purple tissue paper and a picture of different American Girl dolls. I knock on the door and it opens alerting Sierra to put on her outwear for a walk. As she quietly walks out, I quietly announce, "There is a present in the sled." Excitedly, she moves toward the sled and peeks in. "What is it?" "I don't know." She reaches in to pull out the little bag and off we go for our walk in the dark, Sierra holding on to the handles of her little bag. IPhone flashlights light the way. Oohs and aahs echo in the darkness as we pass by different decorations, stopping to see the candy cane lights that flash and a manger scene. Each house had a different way of presenting its decorations. Each one sparkled in the darkness as tried to find the Star of Bethlehem that was supposed to shine in the southwestern part of the sky. 

As we neared her house, a little voice said, "Grandma, can I open my bag?"  We sat on the front ledge and I carefully took out the purple paper. To Sierra's delight, tiny purple boots appeared for her dollie. Mommy went inside to bring her childhood American Girl doll outside. "Samantha's dressed in her Christmas nightgown." Since it was cold outside, we proceeded to dress her in the purple items in the bag, a knitted sweater, hat, purse, and a tiny doll mask in purple. Then, Sierra found a tiny heart necklace for the doll. With bedtime approaching, we shared Samantha with Aurora who was watching the dollie dressing. "Time for photos." The family obliged and proceeded to arrange themselves for the photoshoot. 

Going back to my new home this morning, I photographed a kitchen towel that my son gave me as an early Christmas gift. It sums my feeling and is a reminder that we can find happiness wherever we are.

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I offer this slice of life for Two Writing Teachers even though it is late. We drove home from Northern Virginia today and it was an unusually long trip so I kept falling asleep while writing. Happy Holidays to Everyone!