At our Easter dinner this past Sunday (delayed due to sickness on the actual weekend), I asked Abby to take a picture of Zachary and me, since I knew I didn't have a recent one of just us. I seem to get into the frame more with the others, and I needed to round out my family picture files.
Plus, I on purpose wanted to be able to show off how tall he is.
And just now I feel a strong compunction to include a picture of him and me when he was a baby, but that will take me down a small rabbit hole with copious fond sighs of 'aw cute!" and I won't spend the time on that this morning. Maybe later. Just to compare. Because...such a cute baby!
By now, I barely come up to his shoulder. And, to be honest, that's just fun. I'm not yet the shortest in my family, but it's coming. The only ones shorter than me now are Jayden and Timothy and they are 9 and 5 respectfully, so it's just a matter of time.
Zachary's height is not his only defining feature. Going on 17, he's got quite an impressive work ethic on him. Give him a task and he'll do it to 120%. And with a good attitude. He's aiming for an engineering degree at this point, and we have no doubt he'd succeed. And also, there's still good time to figure out this whole vocation thing. He's in swimming right now, aiming for a bronze medallion, and then on to lifeguarding perhaps. I could go on.
Best part for me is that he's great to talk to. Has solid ideas. Asks insightful questions. Exploring the next levels of his faith with clarity and mindfulness. And what a bonus that he still wants to chat up his Gramma!
I remember holding my first newborn, my daughter Kristyn, Zachary's mother, and asking, "Will you still like me when you're thirteen?" It was a wistful wondering into a future relationship that I was hopeful for but I knew back then, is never really guaranteed.
Same with my grandchildren. It's an uncertain thing. How will we grow together? Who will you be? Who will I be by then?
So when it happens well; when we morph and grow together; when all the spoiling didn't actually ruin them (not that I thought it would); when you have a solid connection with the humans who share your DNA...it's golden. For all my foibles as a Mom and as a Gramma, this feels like so much grace!
If nothing else is sacred for a Gramma, it's the very real expectation of being 'fair' to them all. So, while I have started with a how-much-taller-is-Zachary-than-Gramma photo here, and then gone all braggy on Zachary....I do intend, of course I do, to include the others. One at a time. In no particular order.
Okay, now on to other blessings.
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