A Grandma's Love

Posted by Leona Bergstrom

I suppose that ever since Grandmas have lived long enough to actually be with grandchildren they have demonstrated their love in both simple and extraordinary ways. 

Grandmas spend precious hours playing, pretending, exploring and engaging their grandkids. We comfort them when they hurt and rock them when they are sick. We love it when they are in our homes and in our laps, and we breathe relieved sighs when they go home with their parents.

And then, once in awhile, we do something extraordinary! Such was the case this weekend when Terry (my sister-in-law, friend and co-blogger) brought out four-year-old Caleb’s birthday cake! Not just one cake, but eighteen little train cars each meticulously decorated in unique candies and pretzels. Willy Wonka would have been proud! The word delighted would understate Caleb’s reaction. It was a work of art!

Today as I thought about that train and all that went into it, I imagined every little Sweet Tart, Smartie, gummy bear and pretzel as a prayer that Terry, like so many other Grandmas, offer daily for the offspring of their own children. Blessings on you, Terry, as you celebrate the “juxtaposition of joy and chaos” – and then the “juxtaposition of peace and silence.”

(A note from Terry:  Although it is my day to post and time to end our blog "staycation," I wanted to put this fun post about the train birthday cake up for today.  I am still recovering from the "juxtaposition of joy and chaos" and trying to decide how to deal with the peace and silence.)