1, 2, 3, Let's Go

Grandma and Grandpa are getting ready for you to come visit!

We've ordered cupcakes, and bought polka-dot material for a girl/boyish tablecloth/backdrop.

I'm making a paper chain and a banner out of old Bible story books I found at an antique store, which are too musty to read from.

We're going to fix a Saturday morning brunch (followed closely by a photoshoot) to celebrate your birthday's.  It's a little early, but your parents will throw the  "real" parties closer to the 19th & 23rd.

Great grandma Thelma & Great grandpa Lloyd will be home to help us celebrate, too!  I'm gonna get all the camera stuff ready and make sure I've picked out just the right spots to capture the day on film (which means on the digital camera, jump-drive, hard drive, etc.)

Did you know we used to take pictures on 35mm film?  After shooting 24 or 36 frames (with only seeing what we actually saw in the viewfinder) we'd press the camera unwind button--and a little lever popped up so we'd wind the film back into the canister, open the back of the camera, take out the canister, drive to the nearest camera shop or put it in a 'Skrudland' envelope, pay upwards of $10 and wait 2 to 3 weeks before getting the developed film back as paper photographs.  If we were lucky we got around 10 or 12 good pictures from one roll of film.  Since you're not into math yet, that's about $1 per photograph.

Thank goodness for the digital age, because I have about 3, 495 pictures of the two of you already.

Anyway, I just wanted you to know that we're getting ready for you to visit.  We're cleaning the floors, so you won't have dirty knees.  We're thinking of ways to keep you from climbing on the hearth and up the stairs.  We're getting age appropriate toys out.  We're practicing up on our grandparent giddiness.

You probably won't sit still to listen, this year, but I wanted to tell you that the end of March will always hold special memories for me.  Max, you've probably already forgotten, but you were supposed to arrive on the scene first. And, since a girl likes to have her mom around for times like this, I'll always be thankful for the support Grandma Martha gave when you, Lilly, decided to come around first. I felt buoyed by her strength and encouraged with the wisdom she imparted to me, after I first arrived to meet you.

And then came you, Max, through the Michigan snowstorm, and into the little hospital in a small town called Big Rapids.  

I've never prayed so hard in all my life as the text messages across those 4 days, at times, came in what seemed like weeks instead of hours apart.

And, I'll never forget seeing the dads motion me and Aunt Lissa, into those rooms and introduced us to you, as your momma's beamed. 

Your parents prepared, and prepared for your arrival. Your mom's were awesome and dad's were troopers, but God prepared for you to enter this world long before he even brought you parents together. 


"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart," Jeremiah 1:5

"For you did form my indward parts: You did knit me together in my mother's womb I will praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."  Psalm 139:13 & 14

It's always good to prepare, don't worry about it quite yet, because your parents will help prepare your hearts to learn more about God.  But I just finished attending a conference where the teacher explained about the Shunemite woman in the bible that prepared a place for the  Old Testament prophet Elisha (who, in the New Testament, is mentioned as prototype of Jesus).  She had her husband cut a hole in the wall and add an extra bed, table, chair, and candlelight so when the prophet came to town she could offer him a place to rest.  She prepared to receive the prophet. She didn't run all over town and worry about unimportant things. She was content. She determined in her heart to make a place for Elisha, to give of herself for others. It's always good to prepare a place for Holy One to rest in our hearts.  2 Kings 4:8-37

I guess that's enough for today, but I wanted to let you know a few things you can do to prepare to visit us. You can get ready to be hugged and bragged over.  You can expect lotsa love and attention.  If you wake up early, tell your parents to text us, and we'll hang out with you until a reasonable waking hour.  You can get ready to be kissed and squeezed in real time, enough of this virtual grand parenting.  

Get ready, get set, go!