Cats and Kids

Yesterday my granddaughter was here, and as usual, she was doting on the cats.  Two of the four actually -- the other two hide. 

I happened to look out onto the porch and she was lying down with Fred and at first I thought they were both asleep.  Fred was enjoying the moment.

The next time I looked, Fred was lying down on his side, in complete oblivion, with one of my scarves covering him like a blanket.  Fred is the indoor/outdoor cat and I've seen him ferociously chasing chipmunks all over the place and I've seen him in confrontations with other cats that wander into the yard.  So here's this crazy guy who patrols the property like the special forces, and he's relaxing with a peach-colored scarf covering him up.

It was hilarious.  And then my granddaughter found a lovely fringed scarf that came from Georgia, in the former Soviet Union, a gift from one of our favorite graduate students at UA -- Keti.  She found a way to turn it into dress using another scarf as a belt, and then later she came in wearing it like a top with a very clever folding around the neck.  I casually mentioned, "You know, maybe you should be a fashion designer."  And she shot back, "That's what I want to be."

Well, isn't that interesting.  One of her great-great grandmothers was a tailor as was her sister.  Her great-great-great grandfather was a tailor.  My mother could tailor clothing including woolen coats with linings and shoulder pads.  My sister is a wonderful seamstress. So she could easily have the genes for it which is really neat to me.  We'll just have to see because she's mentioned being an elementary teacher too.

 Another great-great grandmother of Lauren's was a farmer and a midwife, a capable, independent woman who could do all kinds of things well.  Another relative is Lawrence Welk; another a professional baseball player.  The music gene and the athletic gene have been found along the way in our family.

Isn't that one of the most marvelous things that God does for us?  How the generations are linked and how people who never got the chance to meet are brought together through God's amazing creation?

I once heard someone talking about being a grandparent.  This person said that grandparents have more time to listen and observe than busy, harried parents -- and suggested that grandparents can bring to the attention of grandchildren their strengths, talents, and abilities.  Grandparents can plant seeds.

So it isn't just babysitting, if there is any "just" to babysitting.  We have work to do.

PS -- My sister called me today -- twice.  She seems to definitely be feeling better and is taking her rehab work by the horns.  Her attitude is wonderful to behold, and I am thanking everyone who said a prayer for her.  The prayers have been answered in a variety of great ways.  She's not out of the woods but here attitude has improved tremendously.