Gone Fishing

Betty, my mother-in-law, came to visit around V-Day. She is fantastic with the kids and they both adore their Ma. She really knows how to get on their level and get their imaginations soaring. At one point during her visit, she and Isaac went for a walk, or so I thought. Actually they ended up sitting on our curb holding sticks. Why? - you might ask. Well,they were fishing of course. Isaac came in after a bit with a dramatic wipe of his brow and said, "Fishing makes us thirsty. We need a drink." A few days later, after Ma left, I walked outside to see Gabe sitting on the curb with Isaac, sticks in hand. I just received this email from Ma to Isaac.....

Dear Isaac,

I am thinking of you right now as I watch the beautiful flakes of snow fall on your horse in the back yard. I can just imagine you riding that horse with the snow blowing in your face chasing the cows all over the pasture behind us. After you get tired of riding and chasing cows, you will probably like to come inside for a big cup of hot chocolate so you can warm up. Then, it's outside again chasing snow flakes and trying to capture one in your mouth. Course, your Ma will be right there beside you cheering you on and trying to grab one, too.

When we get too cold to stay out, we can come in and look out the window at the red cardinals (birds), the fat robins, and the blue birds scratching in the mud for the worms that surface during really wet weather. You remember the river that runs down the hill in front of your house, the one we rode a canoe on, the one we fished from the curb, well, I've got a giant puddle that looks like a river here in front of the house. We can sit on the concrete blocks by the canal and "fish" all day long. When we get tired of fishing, we can come in for some warm chocolate chip cookies. Or, Pa may take us down to the real lake where we can really fish.

Well, I guess Ma will have to stop dreaming and imagining for now--one day soon when the weather warms up and the mud dries up around our new home, I'm going to come get you, and you can spend a week or two with Ma. We'll have to promise your Mom and Dad that we won't get into too much trouble. Okay?

Write me back, Isaac. I miss you very much, and I love you very much.

Ma

Thanks Ma for being such an interactive and imaginative Grandmother. We love you!