Draw close to God, and God will draw close to you.
—James 4:8
The door creaked open as I made my way onto the deck
and out popped that blonde-haired beauty, her round face turned
toward me.
“Hi, Miss Addie! How are you? I’m so happy to see
you!” I greeted my granddaughter.
Addie smiled as wide as the open door, and I quickly
entered, placing my take-out dinner on the table. I scooped her up and kissed
her soft cheeks, first one then the other.
“Are you going to play with me?” She looked up with
pleading blue eyes.
“Yes, I am. What do you want to play?”
“This,” Addie pointed to a matching game. “And
puzzles.”
I knew that. Addie is the queen of puzzles. She can
put them together faster than any three-year-old I know. Heck, faster than me.
“But first Grandma needs to eat her dinner,” her
mother Tara reminded, “And you and Eli need to eat too.”
“Let me give Eli a hug.” I lowered Addie to the
floor to pick up 11-month-old Eli. His big blue eyes fixed on mine and his mouth
broadened, revealing two cute little teeth situated at the front of his bottom
jaw. I smothered him with smooches while he twisted this way and that.
“It’s time to eat, Addison,” Tara said while she brought
food to the table. “You can put Eli in his high chair,” she gestured toward me.
Before I could wriggle Eli into his seat, he was
already reaching for his food.
As soon as the children finished their dinner, their
parents were out the door for their post-Valentine night alone.
“Now will you play with me?”
