Countdown to Christmas 2024…Day 13

One thing about my mind is that it is always going. Multiple thoughts layer upon each other and weave themselves into words and stories. I am never bored. Trust me. 

At Christmas time many of these spinning thoughts wind around the people we love and memories glob onto present happenings. My heart is full and overflowing many days, and so are my tears. 

For you today I have a blending of generations that happened to form a beautiful tapestry yesterday and so I invite you into my blonde brain as I share the tale of two boys. 

It was Thursday, so of course we headed north for school pickup/homework/basketball practice runs and dinner. Added to the festivities was what we call a beautiful but dangerous snow situation. Huge flakes magically drifted down, but the result was a wet, slippery condition for driving. 

We picked up the Fab Four and Russ dropped me and the two younger ones off at home. He traversed the icy roads to take the older boys to practice. I manned the hot cocoa, snow play, math sheet and dinner prep. 

In the midst of it, John texted me that he needed a baby photo of himself for work. I found it, thankfully, in one of the guest room bureau drawers when we got home. Even as I looked at his sweet face, I could feel what it felt like to scoop him up off the floor in those warm jammies and hold him. 

A kind of movie reel of his life played through my mind as I finished up the tasks I needed to do before bed. I could see him at all the stages. I had already been particularly reminded of one moment in time when he was older on our way home from the kids’ house. 

I had remembered walking to the car at night, through a parking lot, and he was so much taller and bigger than me. I remember vividly realizing that he was making me feel safe. The roles had reversed. 

Well, I told you this was a tale of two boys. So here is the other story. Here is the reason I had been thinking of that memory.

After the basketball practice, Graham was supposed to go to small group. Rachel asked if we could take him to where they were meeting and then we could head home from there. 

Russ and I gathered up our things and headed out to the car, with our oldest grandson not far behind us. 

As I stepped out onto the snowy driveway, I felt Graham’s arm hook through mine. 

A voice that is starting to sound more like a man than my little G-dawg said, “I gotch-you,  Lola.”

He walked me down the sloping drive to the car. Still holding my arm, he reached around and opened the door for me to get in.

Once again in my life, I felt safe with someone I used to protect.

Full circle, I have come. 

I wasn’t prepared for this, but I am so grateful to have experienced this right of passage. 

God is so good and kind to us. 

Have a blessed day <3