And that is the truth...

My grandson played his first volleyball game of the season yesterday and his team won. He is quite an athlete like his mother was when she was in high school, and he plays soccer as well and is on the cross country team. I think this is wonderful, because what is better for a growing young man then participating in sports after school and on the weekends? It's just a shame that he lives so far away that I can't be in the bleachers when he plays to cheer him on, but I do get to see the photos of him participating and get a taste of it that way. Needless to say, I am very proud.

 

I first met my grandson when he was a year and a half old and he was quite an alert little boy who I had to walk around the neighborhood in his stroller to get him sleepy enough for his afternoon nap. Even at that age, he already loved kicking around the ball in the backyard. I do remember him, one afternoon, being so tired from that, that he fell asleep in my arms on the sofa and me not wanting to move for fear of waking him up, so I sat like that for the longest time.

 

He thought there were monsters in the closet and instead of trying to convince him there were not, I told him to take the broom and chase them away. I thought it was better to make him believe he had some power over them, rather than make him think he was helpless. That did help.

 

He will be the only grandchild I will ever have, so he is very precious indeed, although I am sure that those of you with multiple grandchildren think that way about each and every one of them. My son did not have any children and in many ways I think that was a relief, because it would have been tough to think that a child would be left without a father. My father played a big role in my life and it would have been a loss to have done without him. I am sure that the fact that I was my father's favorite child does play a role in that also. It did give me a big sense of security.

 

My grandson looks like a Dutch boy. He inherited his mother's blond looks and my father's body build, but he got his brown eyes from his father. It makes for an interesting combination. My grandmother would have been peeved because brown eyes don't run in the family and my grandson is an exception.

 

And what I really like about him, is that he likes animals and that he is very kind and compassionate  with them. I think that is the sign of a good soul.