Once A Cheerleader

The darlings are winding down now after an evening filled with activity. Anyone reading this will know that activity-filled time is superior to idle time. If one does not have something for one's grandchildren to do, they will still do something. So smart grandparents will have laid out at least a potential plan for things to do. Our plan for an evening at Grandma's house was:

• supper (Corn Dogs + salad + grapes)
• helping to decorate Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas tree (a dollar was earned by each)
• lighting a fire in Grandpa's fire pit outside while eating ice cream cones
• swimming and sitting and splashing in the hot tub (lovely) with occasional jumps into the pool (freezing!)
• getting out and dried and dressed, and then laughing together at a funny show on the iPad while munching grapes and popcorn
• still feeling hungry and everyone trooping on over to the kitchen table for hot dogs (nobody said it would be healthy)
• squealing when the front door opened and it was Mother and Dad
• digging through boxes in the garage (a very popular activity)

The pool and hot tub turned out to be especially fun because the three discovered that they could pour freezing cold water on Grandpa's head and watch his reaction. The reaction was predictably hilarious, and made them want to do it again and again. Grandma quickly established a Rule: NO pouring of freezing cold water on Grandma's head (copious amounts of warm water did however find their way onto Grandma's head).

At some point later, during the digging into garage boxes, an old flag was discovered. The 4 year old especially liked this flag and so she brought it into the house. "Grandma? What is this flag for?"

Grandma looked down at the flag and laughed. "Oh, that was my flag when I was a cheerleader in High School."

This statement was met with frank disbelief. She had seen cheerleaders before. They were all young. They were active, and jumping up and down. That her Grandmother had jumped up and down with flags was just a shade beyond belief. 

There was an uncertain pause, and I suddenly remembered something I had meant to have her do. "Would you like to set up the Nativity scene, my darling?"

"Oh yes! Where is it.."

Watching as she carefully picked up each figure, placing it just where she thought each important character would have stood on that Holy night, I completely forgot about cheerleading. And flags. And youth. She described each figure, starting with the Baby Jesus, moving on through the Angel, Mary and Joseph, the Three Wise Men, the shepherd, and the animals who kept watch. 

Just as the shepherd was being placed somewhere near the back, I heard her say, "But you don't LOOK like a cheerleader, Grandma.."

See you along the way!

the SconeLady