Favorite Verse of the Moment

"The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made." Psalm 145:13

Saturday, June 25, 2011

A Day For Nana


I laugh as I write this.  If anyone would've told me I'd be a grandmother at 35 I would've laughed in their faces.  I love how God is absolutely full of wonderful surprises, things we'd never expect yet things that bless us immensely.  I am now no longer 35.  I am actually 41.  It is a fact my students know well. (It's very important when you're 8 to know how old your teacher is!)  I am, in truth, a "step-gran," a.k.a. "Nana."  This fact makes me the wonderful beneficiary of sweet hugs, giggles, funny stories and all of the delightful chaos that goes along with a sweet little pairing of two little girls.  As a mom to a 10 year old boy, I admit it's sometimes a bit of a culture shock at first, but big joy nonetheless.  Today our little girls came over while mom and dad were out looking at houses.  We made this awesome recipe from Libby's for Pumpkin Cranberry Bread.  All three kids took turns pouring in the ingredients and making it all come together.  It brought back wonderful memories of cooking with my mom, my son, and watching my grandmother pour handfuls into a big bowl (she never used a recipe).  After the bread baked, which is delicious by the way, I had some quiet time to reflect on the morning's events.  I was reminded, by my husband's wisdom and my own reflection, that it is the small moments in life that we treasure most.  I would trade in some of the crazy theme-park moments in life to have five more minutes with my grandmother.  I would pay more attention.  I would listen more and talk less.  I would sit in silence and soak in the joy of those moments.  They are indeed a gift from God.  So tonight, here's to life - unscripted, unspoiled, beautiful, simple, and unexpectedly sweet.  God's Blessings everyone!

6 comments:

  1. This post just brought tears to my eyes. I could voice the same sentiments. My grandmother will turn 103 in 6 weeks and she lives too far away for me to see her more than a couple of times a year. But oh, how dear she is to me. I am the Nana to almost 11 (come Sept)now. And it is one of the most joyful things in my life. We are so blessed!

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  2. And P.S. I love you food photography. I just purchased the book "Plate to Pixel" and have been pouring over it. I never knew there was so much to learn about photographing something sitting on a plate!

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  3. Darla,
    Thank you so much for posting...and for the great stuff you share in your blog! I now know which recipe I'm going to make next. My family loves caramel and coconut! It sounds like you have a wonderfully full life with all of those grandkids...and a great legacy to share with them. :) God's blessings to you and yours. As for the food photo, I had help. I'm no photographer. I'd love to read that book. Thanks for the info!

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  4. Hey Julie! I was searching for you on Facebook and your blog site popped up. It is so good to read your blog. How are you, Jackson, and the family? It has been a long time. Hope to hear from you soon. Deanna

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    1. Deanna!
      I am slow to get on Facebook. I've been fighting it for a long time. I never like the idea of "friend" and "unfriend." Reminds me of the kids on the playground. ;) Will get with the times now. So cool to hear from you. Hope to connect with you on Facebook soon. My baby is going into 6th grade! We are all well. Hope to chat with you soon!
      Thanks for visiting!

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  5. Julie, You are so right about time with your grandparents. I tell my boys all the time they should cherish the time and spend as much as they can with their grandparents. Thanks for your sweet comments—I love that you are enjoying the sunflower painting in your studio.

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