This weekend was an active one to say the least.
Saturday morning began with a visit to the Bluegrass Heritage Museum where my husband and I got to see some beautiful little boys and girls who were there to see “Santa and Mrs. Claus,” and that is all I can say about that. The museum was decorated beautifully and it was filled with fun things for the young people to do.
At 1:30, I had to meet my daughter in Midway to pick up my granddaughter, Olivia. Her momma needed a break to try to get some Christmas decorating done at her house. As I have told you before, Olivia never stops asking questions and when I asked her if she ever stopped talking, she replied, “No, because that is the way God made me.”
I thought that one through and had no reply. I am beginning to believe it.
As soon as she and I got back to Winchester, we went to a basketball game at the Y to see her adored cousin, Hayden, play basketball. She cheered loudly. I, on the other hand, was burning up inside that building and had to go outside for some air with Simon, who doesn’t enjoy the ball games or the loud noises and ends up crying while there. She was left to yell with her aunt.
While we were driving down from Midway, I asked Olivia what she wanted for Christmas and was totally shocked to hear her answer. I first understood her to say she wanted a “pee sign.” The image that popped into my mind was of a little boy taking revenge on a Ford or Chevy truck. I quickly asked again what she said, and she said a “peace” sign, like “love, peace and happiness.” I then tell her how proud I am of her, but in my mind I am wondering if I have a little hippie in the making at five years old.
By the time we arrived in Winchester, she had me convinced she knew exactly what she wanted by her telling me about love, peace and happiness. She is a very loving child and thinks everyone should love her as she loves them.
I got a little reprieve from Olivia while she went to Hayden’s house to play for a while. I, in the meantime, scoured Winchester for something with the peace sign to get Olivia for Christmas. I found a really cute bag that would make a cute little purse for her. When I returned to pick her up and she saw the gift, she asked me if it was of a “pees” sign. I convinced her she would have to wait for Christmas to find out.
Saturday night, Eric joined me and Olivia to watch the Christmas parade on Main Street.
It was wonderful and she loved having candy given to her by the participants. I want to thank everyone for the effort that went in to the parade.
When we got home, I asked Olivia what her favorite thing of the whole parade was, and she again shocked me. I was expecting her to say seeing Santa, the horses, the floats, etc., but her answer was “seeing my cousin in the parade.” Actually, that was one of my favorite things, too.
After we, arrived home, we ate and talked, and I let her pick a book out to read. Of course, she picked one of the thicker books to read. She agreed we would read half of “Horton Hears a Who” before we went to sleep and I would finish the story the next day, which I did.
Sunday morning, we went to church. She enjoys the children’s church part at church because then she knows she can be with her cousin when they go up to their part of church. After church she went with her
Aunt Shanda again and returned to me since we had to get ready to take her back to meet her momma.
Before we left she told me she wanted to play “hide and sneak” again. She said she was real good at sneaking. So, we played hide and seek again. Her idea of this was laying under my coffee table with head and feet and body protruding from the ends with her head and eyes closed waiting for me to find her. I play the game of looking for her even though she is in clear view. As I get closer and ask, “Where is my little girl?” she makes little giggling noises until I discover her. The innocence of children is so sweet.
After “hide and sneak,” we stopped by Michael’s in Lexington and she chose a wooden princess to paint to take home with her. She sang “Jingle Bells” all through the store for anyone who listened.
We decide we’d better hurry so we would not be late in meeting her mom when she asked me, “Can we go get a hot ‘funs’ sundae?” I asked her if she meant a hot fudge sundae and she agreed.
After a hot fudge sundae, we are on our way to meet her mom and dad. As we are riding along, she begins singing “Kum ba yah, my Lord, kum ba yah.” I learned this in camp many years ago and I taught it to her. It is a song a Baptist missionary taught me and it stands for “Come by here, my Lord, come by here.” It tells of a person in Africa in need, who starts out singing softly, someone’s praying “Lord, kum ba yah,” that is repeated three times, then it goes someone’s singing, then it goes to shouting and ends with softly singing the praying part again. She loves it and so do I, so we sang it until we reached Midway.
On my ride home, as usual I missed Olivia’s little chatter box. I was looking forward to resting once I got home, but I thought of all she has taught me. How peace, love and happiness is the most important thing to wish for at Christmas. How important the love of family is, and most of all to never forget to ask the Lord to come by here.
I think of her momma having gall bladder surgery on Dec. 13. I am thinking that as I go for treatment, I need the Lord to come by here.
May our lives and yours be filled with peace, love and happiness this Christmas and may the Lord come by your place too.
