Sunday, November 25, 2007

And Now They're Gone - On Their Way East

Supper time

"Apple," said Annika.

"Bunny!" "Squirrel," said Annika.


It was hard work for Josiah and Grandma to put together this puzzle!

Decorating Grandma D's Christmas tree.

My angels.

Breakfast time.

Coloring an ornament.

Greeting Peppi.

Decorating cut-out sugar cookies.

Enjoying a cookie. :-)

Water table at the Children's Museum.

Isn't she darling?!

Isn't he handsome?!

Playtime in the play clinic at the museum.

Since Tuesday when Hans and Rachel, Josiah and Annika arrived, I have seen them as much as possible. Yesterday Rachel brought Josiah and Annika to my home to spend the next 24 or so hours. I have been looking forward to this. Josiah has stayed overnight at my home once before, but this was the first time for both of them.

I had a numbers puzzle ready for Josiah and dolls and a stuffed cow for Annika. They got to meet Peppi, my beautiful canary, and he put on a very sweet concert for them! After the children played for awhile, I got out some Christmas tree decorations and together they decorated my small Christmas tree. It was so much fun watching them. Annika (1 - 3/4 years old) basically took the ornaments and pushed them into the tree branches. Josiah (3 - 1/2 years old) carefully hung them with their fine threads. They did a beautiful job! When they finished, I plugged it in and they were happy with the results. Then I read them a little Christmas story about Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. I was glad I had found a cloth nativity set last week and let the children put them next to the cloth barn with animals that I already had. Josiah wanted to call Mary's husband, "Josiah," but I told him he could just call him "Joe." Annika loves the animals and knows the sounds they make.

Josiah and Annika were very good at my house! They loved playing in my cottage - Annika taking the fake apples out of basket and telling me what they were. Josiah and I put a Tyrannosaurus Rex puzzle together - it wasn't an easy puzzle! They took a bubble bath and shortly after went to bed. I couldn't have asked for better grand children!

This morning while Annika napped, Josiah colored a couple of wooden ornaments and helped me decorate some cut-out sugar cookies. I knew Hans would appreciate those!

Around noon, Rachel came to pick up Josiah, Annika and me and together we went to the Children's Museum in downtown St. Paul. (Hans was at Peder's watching the Vikings beat the Giants!) This was a lot of fun - for the kids and me. These children's' museums are wonderful places. I enjoyed it a lot.

The bittersweet moment came after we picked up Hans at Peder's and drove back to my home. I hate good-byes (I know I'm not alone in this department). Hans came into the house with me and we packed up some sugar cookies for him and his family. I showed him the tree the darlings had decorated and walked him back out to the van, gave him a hug, kissed the angels, gave my love to Rachel, and watched them pull away.

Dear Lord, please go with them and protect them.

1 comment:

MamaD4 said...

The cookies are already gone. All that's left are a few crumbs. They were SO delicious--but so super-sweet...they made my teeth ache! We made short work of them. Thank you again for watching the kids. Hans and I really enjoyed our night "off"!