Fun at Casa del LuMarFin

My girlfriend and I arrived at Casa del LuMarFin this afternoon for a few hours of being Grampy and Grammy before retiring for the night and heading to the Chicago area for ministry tomorrow morning.  It’s a lot of fun interacting with these sweet girls.  I spent some time with Lucy as she played in her “house” on the back porch.  Making a meal of rocks on her stove and playing mailman as I delivered the mail in her mailbox.  She didn’t appear to be phased by whether the mail was bills, a paycheck, a love letter, or an acceptance letter to the college of her choice.  The fact that it was mail was all that mattered.  She did have one rock that she didn’t serve me as a meal.  It is a flat black rock which she introduced to me as her “goldfish”.  “Does your goldfish have a name?”  – “Goldfish”, was the response.  I decided, as I watched her send her goldfish down the slide a couple of times before putting him back in the imaginary water that she needs a real goldfish and Grampy plans to take care of that at the first opportunity.

Grampy then pushed Margo up the hill and back.  It was a beautiful day and she was content to ride in the stroller while Grampy did all the work … and sang songs to her as we went.

Mom and Dad went out on a “date” this evening and left us to play with the kids.  Grampy cooked some macaroni and cheese with bits of chicken, green pepper and cashews for supper, serving it on three children’s plates with toddler silverware.  I was informed by Lucy that Grammy should have “an adult plate” but I refused, explaining that Grammy was just a little girl in a big body.  That seemed to satisfy her!  Entertainment during dinner was watching Grampy try to balance a pineapple on his head.

After supper it was time to snuggle on the couch while watching Clifford the Big Red Dog episodes … well … the girls watched while Grampy napped.

A tickle session was next on the schedule.  It amazes me how little girls can beg to be tickled one moment and then beg you to stop the next … only to beg you to tickle again a moment later ;-)….  Especially fun is blowing raspberries on their tummies.  As I type this Lucy and Grammy are looking out the window to spy on the neighbors who are having an outdoor party down the hill.  Lucy’s comment: “I want to go down there and meet the people.”  It made me pray that someday she will have such a desire to meet “the people” wherever they are, and tell them about Jesus.

She now has her cash register set up on the table with “merchandise” arranged and is cheerfully saying, “Welcome to Lucy’s Shoppe” (I’m sure it is spelled that way in her mind).  She just sold Linda a book … “This is nine dollars…”   After Linda got the book .. and was paid the nine dollars by the clerk (yeah … that’s different isn’t it), she was told, “Have a good day and please come back any time!”  Watching this kind of thing go on is better than most entertainment on TV!

It will soon be time to tuck them into bed … and we’ll be on the road before they are up in the morning but this time is to be cherished.

The highlight of the evening, for me, was while working in the kitchen to prepare supper.  Fun and games in the living room with Grammy turned to tears for Lucy as she stumbled and fell.  The pain was only momentary but it was cause for typical three-year old hysterics.  I can’t tell you how it made me feel to hear her say, through her sobs, “I want Grampy…I want Grampy”.  Linda came in the kitchen with a crying cherub.  Those little arms reached out and wrapped around my neck as I took her.  She buried her face in my neck and quickly settled as I hugged her tightly and spoke softly to her.  In a moment all was well … and my heart was about to burst with love.  Was that a tear or two that blurred my vision?

I’m glad the kids were able to have a night out … and I love being a Grampy.

T