Mia the little cleaner

Mia at three years old is already naturally neater than her older sisters.  She does lots of little things that demonstrate this all the time.  For example, the other night she was eating strawberries by her self in the kitchen and when she was done she threw away her napkin in the trash can and then went back and put her bowl in the sink.  She usually cleans up after herself or is the one kid who says "Okay, dad" when you tell her she needs to pick something up.  

Of course our house is usually a disaster because all the girls go from thing to thing.  As I sit on the computer there are paints, papers, brushes, etc. strewn all about the kitchen table, and there are blocks and construction paper in piles in the front room.  At least the breakfast stuff was put away. :)

Three Kinds of Clouds

The other night, out of the blue, Sarah asked "Dad, what are the three kinds of clouds?"  I quickly answered "Cirrus, cumulus, and ....."  I couldn't think of the third type of cloud.  Neither could she.  So she said "I know I'll look it up on Google."  When she says Google, she actually pronounces it "Google E."  It's really cute.  So sure enough she went to the computer and typed in "Three kinds of clouds."  We then found out the one we couldn't think of - stratus.  

I love her natural curiosity. Her intelligence and her ability to solve problems.  She didn't know the answer, but she knew how to find it.  She is also a leader in the classroom.  Granted its first grade, but she wants to learn and models good behavior in the classroom.  Apparently all the boys like her too.  

Mrs. Chadez, her first grade teacher, said that at lunch all the boys eat lunch with her.  Tracey has been told by other moms that their son talks about Sarah ALL the time.  It's going to be a long 12 years with the boys.

Grandma Anderson

Today in church I saw an older lady that reminded me of my Grandma Anderson.  It wasn't so much how she looked but it was her countenance.  Grandma always had that sense of peace, wisdom, and inner strength.  At least that's how I remember her.  

Some of my earliest memories include going to Friends church.  She was a Sunday school teacher.  I remember being in her class and doing different activities.  She used to have bible characters made of felt that stuck to a board.  I also remember going to VBS at Friends in the summer. 

She always had a garden when I was a kid.  Fresh green beans and corn remind me of my Grandma.  There are all kinds of food memories.  Black-eyed peas, rice with gravy, Grandpa using chop sticks, chocolate chip cookies, Amos and Matt licking the top of the ice-cream before putting it in the freezer, Hot Cocoa, maple walnut cake, cauliflower, fig jam, canned everything, fresh lemonade, rectangular boxed ice cream from Stater Brothers, hot dogs split down the middle and cooked in a skillet, fluffy omelets with Jack cheese.

I remember her picking me up from Park View elementary in her Blue VW Bus.  The smell of that VW bus was so distinctive.  A part of me would love to own a VW Bus.  That smell sticks with you, the pinging of the motor, the sliding of the side door, and the Jesus sticker on the back window.

I loved to listen to her tell stories about the family.  All the boys and the trouble that they would get into or the adventures they would have.  She would always go through the list of "the boys" names: Carey, Tim, Kevin, Matthew, Amos, until she got to the right one.  I only have three girls and I do the same thing now. 

Christmas day at her house was always great.  When I was a kid the big long socks had the best stocking gifts.  Usually lots of practical items plus some cool random gadgets.

The birthday songs were always fun.  The Andersons had a second birthday song that they sang "For it's a happy happy birthday to you."  This has spread to my mom's side of the family.  It always put a smile on my face to hear them sing this too.

Grandma was always a great listener and always knew what to say.  She would break into song when it fit the moment.  She was a rock.  The Anderson foundation.  My dad and uncles are and were so unique. The influence of my grandparents was evident in their lives.  Grandpa Anderson was always great with me, but I know that he was hard on my uncles when they were growing up.  Grandma was the yin to his yang.  

I will always miss my Grandma and will forever be grateful for her love in my life.