PLAYING WITH CHILDREN

This sums up so nicely the experience of spending time with children who are between the ages of 4 and 7. At least all the ones that I am related to. They all want to make up the game. Each one one wants to be the dictator of the rules, the charactors, the plot...basically the universe. With Jimmy and Zoe, the ground is usually hot lava and no one can walk across it. If Jimmy has to reach a toy, wants a cookie, has to potty, whatever and comes up with his own imaginative "wetsuit" Zoe throws a fit because it "isn't in the game". And vice-versa for Jimmy if Zoe breaks one of his rules. And pretty much the same for the other cousins too. What is it about this age that they each need to be the king? (Or princess?) Were we this way, too?

THIRTY-EIGHT DAYS OF DROUGHT

Thirty-eight long days. The swings blew silently in the breeze. The grass began to grow in the worn, dirt patches under them. Grandpa was known to shed a tear or two as he worked in the yard and passed the lonely spot.
And then, last Saturday, relief came came flooding through the yard in the form of Audrey, Ethan and Morgan with cries of "High push", and "Grandpa, now me" and , of course, "Mine!!!" What a fun afternoon we had. The temperature was a perfectly sun-filled, yet just-right September day. The kids and Grandpa played outside while I had Noah at the Temple while his parents attended a sealing. Noah was absolutely perfect in the Temple. I imagine he felt quite at home there.
When I returned home, the kids were taking a break in the house for lunch and then we all went outside again. Morgan wanted to swing over and over, but most of her weight is in her tummy and backside and her short little legs just can't compensate very long. Grandpa would hold her on the swing and she would be so happy, but after about two forwards and backs, she would start to slip off. She would be happy to stand there and just hold the swing - until Ethan wanted his turn. Then the chorus of Mine, mine, mine would ring out. Ethan was very good about not fighting with her and let us distract her before taking his turn on the swing. He was the most daring of all - swinging the highest, climbing the highest - in fact, he almost made it into the tree and seemed surprised when we encouraged him. We told him the rule was that when he
could do it on his own, he could climb the tree. And he made some serious progress.

They all got up and sang and danced for us. Ethen has some good dance moves - he looks as though he has watched a lot of soft shoe routines. Morgan didn't want to sing or dance until someone else did and then she would go throw them off of the 'stage' and yell "mine". Then she would perform. She also didn't want her picture taken in her car. She would hide her face below the doors and frown so we wouldn't take it. I had to wait a long time before I could get one.

Later, however, we couldn't take enough pictures.
All of these group pictures were dictated by Morgan. And for nearly every normal shot, there is one with their tongues sticking out! And then she had to see each one.

After all of this hilarity, we went into the house and Audrey and Ethan and I settled on my bed to watch The Muppet Show - There I was, on my bed with a boy and girl - just like old times. I just need to get these grandkids up here more often! Morgan, however, was not content to sit and watch TV. She was determined to sit on the hearth in a little gap between the CD rack and the boxes. She has stood in that spot before, but now the huge exercise bike is on the way and was completely blocking her path. She kept trying to get through and would look at me. I would say no and she would smile and say "peas?" and I would say no. This went on over and over until she went around to other side of the bike and made it onto the hearth. She gave me her biggest smile that said - see? I'm so smart.

And then she ran over to play with grandpa.

We have seen all of the grandkids since Jimmy and Zoe moved away, but this was the first time we had a group here for a long time and they played outside with us and we felt like we got to know them a little better. Knowing Jimmy and Zoe was easy because they were always here. We need more time with all of the others and especially Sam and Holly before they go away for several years. We need to work some time out, right?

I HAVE BEEN TO OHIO!

Yes, that really is a building, shaped like a basket. In fact, it is the world's largest basket-shaped building, but not the only, basket-shaped building. Within 20 miles of this one, there are two more! I have taken some flack for not updating my blog in so long, but I've been in Ohio, and with such wonders to see, how could I have had time to blog?
And then on my last morning, I turned on my trusty little laptop to check out my flight home to Zion and witnessed its last gasps as it died before my eyes. My computer man, Darwin, called me last night to say that, although he was able to save my files, there was nothing he could do for the little Dell. So I'm writing this blog SITTING IN A CHAIR! IN THE DEN! And I hope you all appreciate the sacrifice. (I do and do and do for you people...)

But, back to Ohio. Lest you think there are only wicker shaped sights in the midwest, you are wrong. They also trim their shrubs into art. In The Old Deaf School Topiary Garden they have reproduced the entire painting of Seurat's Sunday Afternoon at the Grande Jatte. My little camera could not get far enough away to get the entire "painting" in one shot, but you can see quite a bit here - even the monkey in the lower right corner. It really was a beautiful park with lily ponds and benches and weeping willow trees. Very serene for all those people who weren't by us - Jimmy and Zoe were playing a racing game.



We spent an afternoon/evening at Geaga Lake Waterpark that was very delightful. We got there just as a lightning storm closed the park. But we had free passes and the radar picture looked good, so we went in anyway and within 20 minutes had an open waterpark virtually to ourselves. Chris' brother had rented a cabana for us, which is where I stayed - a covered gazebo with lounge chairs, a round, unbrella-ed dining table with chairs and catered service. Now that's the way I like a waterpark - everyone else go get wet. I recline in a gazebo while people come feed me. The waterpark is set on the shore of Geaga Lake, which was so pretty at dusk as we were leaving. This photo is Jimmy trying to torture a squirrel. We stayed over night by the park which was up north by Cleveland and the next day drove to Kirtland.

We took the RLDS tour through the temple and it was very hard to endure. We knew the history would diverge after the martyrdom. But there was a 20 minute film before the temple and it was very grating to hear how Joseph founded the Community of Christ Church and how he was the prophet of the Community of Christ Church. And when I brought up the incident of the women having to break their china for the building (for Zoe and Jimmy), the tour guide brushed that off as just an urban legend. In the temple itself, he was no less annoying, concentrating on the
architectural details instead of the real ones.
I got Zoe alone and told her that the thing I wanted her to remember was that Jesus had appeared to Joseph Smith here alnog with Moses and Elias and others and that at the dedication, it was filled with angels that many people saw - even outside on the roof - and that she was here where Jesus had been. Her eyes got very wide and I think she will remember that.
Then we went to the LDS part of Kirtland and this, too, was a disappointment, in a way. The kids had seen the photos of the fun things Holly and Sam got to do in Nauvoo and we all supposed that Kirtland would have stuff like that too. But they told us right up front that, no, they don't. We asked for our own special tour, just for our group, and to see things that would just appeal to kids. So we got a very nice set of sister missionaries who took us to the Newel K Whitney Store and a couple of other places and at the end turned the kids loose in the Johnson Inn. The Inn is filled with interactive displays where the kids could press buttons and turn on lights and since it was empty and not antique, they could run around and be noisy. I think the sisters wondered about me. My glasses had broken the day before so I had to wear my dark glasses all the time - even in those tiny dark Kirtland buildings. And I wasn't walking well enough to climb old stairs to the second floors, so I sat around in the dark alot. Chris, however, went everywhere. But the kids were glad to get to the hotel and go swimming after all that touristy stuff! The next day we went to Lake Erie. I couldn't make it near the shore because of all the sand, but Zoe generously gathered two handfuls of Lake Erie rocks and dumped them in my Amigo basket. They are still there.

I have lots of photos of Allison's house, if she doesn't get around to posting them, I guess I will. But I made myself my own little haven in her house in Zoe's room while I was there and it all worked out all right. Zoe's room was light blue, so it was bright, and for the most part she played quietly, so it was quiet. Although, the room was assailed frequently by marauding pirates or demons or race cars or whatever else a 4 year old lonely brother can be. Zoe's door has a hole cut in the bottom - like there used to be a cat flap or something, and very often something would sail into the room, launched by Jim. Or sometimes just his cute, chubby face would try to peer through to see what we were doing. Which was usually reading. Zoe would sit against the window and read. I would lay on my air mattress and read the Deseret News on my computer. But this was only in the second half of the three weeks - the first week getting ready for the Taste of Reynoldsberg, nobody sat down. Then the truck came, we left on the little trip and came home and moved in and nobody sat down. It was only the third week that there began to be some extra time now and again to sit down. But to get back to the point, the other reason I liked spending down time in Zoe's room was the view out of her window. It reminded me of the little homes on the San Juan Islands or in Anacortes. All very green and peaceful. Jimmy gets up before everyone else and on two mornings he saw deer out of the window. They are just two blocks off of the main drag, and most of the rest of Reynoldsburg is much more dense than this, but this park-like section is so nice. Their huge back yard joins about 4-5 others and the neighborhood kids gather at dusk and play Hide and Seek and such. Jimmy and Zoe are too young to join now, but it will be fun as they get older.

It was hard to leave, especially because the kids didn't take it well. Thank heaven for technology! Web cams and email and free long distance - we are a spoiled people.
But look what I had to come home to - little Noah! What a cute little boy. And news that his cousin Max will be joining him in January. And to see all my grandchildren again - those I hadn't seen in a month, and those I hadn't seen in more than 3.
I guess the answer is to enjoy our family togetherness in whatever form we can and enjoy it full force!