Beth Grant
I
contributing writer
Loving Life This year, I will celebrate 55 years on this earth; I actually entered my birth
year in a calculator to verify this! In some ways, I feel that number should be greater because of my many life experiences. Then again, I still possess such a childlike curiosity about the many wonders leſt to discover. Could I really be at the halfway mark? Sighing, I remind myself that God alone holds the key to my existence and I am comforted. I’m not sure if anyone would be interested in sharing this journey of reflection with me. Aſter all, I am no one special. I humbly offer these anecdotes in the hopes that they will entertain while offering a glimpse into my multi-colored life.
Barbie taught me a lot about how to keep house as I outfitted her cardboard home. Soon
Ken would move in, and they would purchase a vehicle. Skipper (Barbie’s sister) eventually became their child somehow. Of course, they had a dog and a horse. Barbie made all their clothes, and I’m not sure if Ken ever got out of bed except to sit in the car or ride the horse. I remember thinking that I would plant flowers at my house when I grew up because I felt her house was not complete without them. Barbie and Ken never aged, and they never had cross words. My playroom was a wonderful
world of pretending, and I could shape things the way I wanted. I’ll never forget when Mattel came out with a baby for Barbie. I was over the moon because it came with its own blanket! As I placed the baby into the family unit, I felt such joy! When my daughters were first placed in my arms, I felt comforted. I wasn’t afraid I would break them; it was the most natural feeling in the world. I had longed for this moment since I was a young child. I was just “meant to tend.” I don’t recall ever feeling overwhelmed with the varied tasks of motherhood; however, I do recall the juggling act of having to work, be a mother, wife and homemaker. Aſter all, Barbie didn’t work; she was a stay at home mother, just like mine. I had no preparation for this role. Barbie had never heard of divorce, so I was not prepared for that either. Through faith and
constant prayer, I realized any storm can produce a rainbow. Such is the case when I found the love of my husband of almost 28 years. Because of his love, I inherited two sons. This “renovation” of my life was divinely planned as I never could have imagined this for myself. The other huge blessing I wasn’t aware of was grandchildren! Their adorable faces and the
sweet sound of their voices is the best medicine in the world! Take Oliver, for example - his lisp from missing front teeth makes every tale humorous. When asked if he knows how much the amount I love him is, he says, “40 points and 20 points.” It all makes sense somehow. He then proceeds to run down the hall shouting “to infinity and beyond!” (he gets it). Carlysle is an adult in a little girl’s body. She came into the world with her own agenda, and she can outwit and outfox even the best of us. She will keep you in stitches, especially when she describes the antics of her younger sister, Callie. Speaking of Callie, she is all smiles. She giggles, sings, cuddles and has the cutest curls – there really should be a Callie doll! When you pick her up, she’s as light as a feather; but the
joy she brings is infinite. David is our “professor,” who is blessed with a brilliant mind that never stops. He has a plan for everything, and he talks in great detail. Occasionally you long for the short version; in his world, that doesn’t exist. He seems to be a master at mind games, but sports eludes him a bit. He enjoys challenging his mind more than his body. Grant loves a physical challenge more than anything! She can already do one armed push- ups and excels at any sport. Her favorite thing about school is homework! She toggles be- tween wanting to be pretty and needing to be a tomboy. Jolie, like David, shares a brilliant mind. She loves to read and create. You never quite know what she’s thinking, but you can rest assured the wheels are turning! She has a great love of animals and dreams of working with them in some capacity. She is the clone of our oldest son and has his dark, good looks. Jolie loves little children and delights in her cousins antics when visiting them. Little Robbie was recently joined by a baby sister, Ryann-Elise. He was seemingly unfazed
by this life altering event. In fact, he didn’t appear to notice her at all as he continued his very busy schedule of exploring everything! He joins our David in his love of vacuum cleaners. Perhaps they will invent a ‘better’ one someday. Robbie loves balls; it doesn’t matter the size or color, he is just enamored with them! He loves music and is quite taken with his Papa’s guitar. He loves to strum to “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” as his Papa holds down the chords. Thanks to the wonderful world of technology, I get frequent updates on the precious things our grandchildren are up to. They are more tech savvy than I am, including the little ones! Even Barbie’s new house comes with a miniature laptop computer and cell phone! I wonder if the now 55 year old Barbie would sit at the dinner table with her cell phone. Would she have grandchildren? Would she realize aſter all these years of multi-tasking that it’s ok to have a day that is not structured? Would she watch the birds out her Dream House window? Would she look back over her life (as I have) and not change a thing because it got her here? I think there should be a 55 year old Barbie doll with wider hips to fit more grandchildren in her lap. She should have lots of flowers in her yard and plenty of toys, books and puzzles on her shelves. Her well- loved Dream House would have a Bible on the night stand beside her cell phone. Most every shelf would contain pictures of her beloved family, a reminder of the wonderful life she loves.
92
February 2014
shemagazine.com
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