Beautiful day today! Blue sky, a few wispy clouds but the wind is really blowing. I’ll be glad when Mother Nature runs out of wind producing breath. I am missing my porch swinging and pondering. Every time I walk by the front door Penelope briefly stops thinking we’re going outside. Just too cool today. We’ve taken several walks and filled up the bird feeders and suet baskets. But the wind is keeping us inside.

Slept till 10:00 this morning. I always ask Alexa the time before I peak out from under the covers. Last time I had asked her it was 2:30 AM and it took a while for me to go back to sleep. I thought I had died when she said, “Ten o’clock.” But when I saw Penelope’s face instead of Chief’s I knew I had lived to see another day.

Oldest brother came by this morning for his daily visit. We discussed our bird sightings. I had 8 male cardinals this morning. A few wives came with them. Had six female goldfinches but oldest brother counted 32 finches on his feeders this morning. He won. We laughed about how fast those little birds can clean out a feeder. When the goldfinches visited in my yard last year they ate 20 pounds of bird seed a week. They cleaned out the feeders every day.

Was turning off the lights in the living room tonight and I stopped and looked at the family photos on the buffet behind the sofa. There is a sweet photo of Chief and me holding Alexander on the day of his birth. We were so thrilled by the arrival of our first grandchild. Course we teared up with happiness. Grandchildren are true gifts and blessings from God. They bring so much joy and happiness to their families.

Our grandchildren were just another expression of love and joy to Chief. He was so proud of all three of them and bragged about them in every conversation. He had a deep love for his grandfather Dark, who read to him from a book of Thomas Jefferson letters. He’d tell Alexander that his granddaddy fixed him coffee when he was a small child and he’d drink it from a saucer.

His grandfather made a lasting impression on Chief and he loved him deeply. I never had a grandfather and my children never had a grandfather. Chief fulfilled the role with patience and kindness and love and affection. I have no doubt they miss Chief and think about him often.

When Thomas and Ashley got married, every time they’d come for a visit Chief would lecture me. “Mama,” he’d say “Don’t ask them when they’re starting their family. They are not having children because you want them!”

Several years passed and my middle brother would ask me often why they were so focused on their careers and hadn’t started their family. And I choked back my questions with every visit with them. Then one beautiful, bright sunny afternoon Ashely called to see if it was okay for them to come down for a visit. They had never called before a visit so my Grandmother Radar started pinging.

I ran down to Chief’s sister’s house next door and told my children’s RaRa (their name for Chief’s sister, Sylvia) that Thomas and Ashley were coming to tell us they were having a baby. I was that sure of the news. Course Chief was mortified that I has told her and began the grandmother lecture again. I just kept smiling because I knew that was the reason for the visit.

Chief and I were perched in our rocking chairs on the front porch waiting when Thomas and Ashley walked up. I kept leaning closer to them during our conversation and Ashley says, “We’ve got something to show you.” She pulled out a little ultra sound photo and told us they were pregnant. Chief and I wept with happiness.

I told them I had to run down to tell RaRa and Uncle Charles but when I stood up I saw them grinning and walking up the side walk. They were as happy and as excited as we were. Uncle Charles had fulfilled the role of grandfather to our children. They had sat outside watching for Thomas and Ashley, too.

The birth of your first grandchild marks the beginning a new generation. When you have grandchildren you’ll understand why they are “grand.” I think you worry about them more than your own children. I used to worry about them falling down when they were babies. Worried if a bumble bee flew by. And I learned how to brag on every childhood milestone and academic achievement. You kinda see the world for the first time again through your grandchildren’s eyes. And they are so much fun! And they make you laugh and just brighten your world when they are around.

I have a deep love for my children and grandchildren and I’m thankful for their health and happiness. The memories with them and Chief bring me smiles on gloomy days.