Here is the grandboy’s contribution to a school project.
From mamasan: “when asked what a dream of his is, he said “to be flexible with work” hahaha he said he “wants to be able to take days off of work” when he gets older”
I pray he achieves his dream. We work to support our families. If he can keep his focus on his family, then this is a dream achieved.
Grandboy, interrupting me during prayers: What? God’s YOUR dad? He makes stars and fish and stuff.
Me: Well I have a dad here on Earth and a dad who is in heaven – God. And you do too.
Grandboy (makes a face): My dad is bad. He breaks the law. I don’t like him.
Me (gently): Listen. Yes. He did do that. But God still loves him anyway. I pray your dad gets better and learns to do good things.
Grandboy: God loves him even if he’s bad?
Me: Yes. He might not like what he does, but he still loves him. Just like I may not always like what you do, but I always love you.
Grandboy (folds hands): God, please help my dad be good so he can do good things like me. Okay, God? You can do it. Amen.
— We could all use a prayer warrior like that in our corner 🙂
Grandboy is visiting, playing Minecraft and is creating a giant toilet with underground cast iron plumbing.
Why? Because, well I don’t know why, I just can’t come up with a good reason why not…
and then he made a lighthouse, with lights that turn on only at night
I told the grandboy that large objects (like planets) like to grab small objects (like little boys) and keep them close. That’s known as “grabbity”.
I expect a stern talking-to by mamasan soon.
Grandboy: Can I have pizza?
Me: A piece of? A piece of what?
Grandboy (waves his arms menacingly): A piece of ME
— Oy he’s going to be a punny little handful
The grandboy surprised his mamasan and me, and gave us a breathtaking glimpse into his world today.
After school, he asked his momma to take him to a cemetery. He knows as much as any well-informed six year old does about death, having had pets and family members around him who have no problem discussing life, death, and everything beyond.
The two of them spent about two hours visiting tombstone after tombstone. He spent a bit of time and care straightening fallen flowers, flags, etc. He stopped at over 30 headstones, asking his momma to read the names of each person. Then he prayed for the people by name, thanking them for their time and life they led here on earth.
When asked why he was tidying up the fallen flowers, flags, and praying, he simply said, “this is why I’m here.” His usual curious, wiggly, energetic self was replaced by a focused, serious side that knew exactly what he was doing.
This was a message and teaching not given by us – and to our knowledge, not passed on by anyone from school, tv, sermons, etc. It was simply a level of pure communication between a timeless soul and a force greater than that soul.
I wasn’t there, but I could only imagine it was almost too powerful to gaze upon.
Grandboy: Hey gwumpa I see you changed your gamertag picture. Show me how to change mine please.
Me: Sure (shows him how)
Grandboy: Oh WOW! THESE ARE COOL PICTURES TO CHOOSE FROM
Me: Yep, pic any one you want
Grandboy: So, why you not choose a cool one for yours?
Me: …
— Schooled by a six year old. Wow that happened too soon
Me: Hey come on in and see something cool
Grandboy: Is it a new GAME?
Me: Nope
Grandboy: Is it a new PUPPY?
Me: Nope
Grandboy: I know it’s a BASEBALL BAT!
Me: Nope
Grandboy (exasperated): Auuugh gwumpa what is it?!?
Me: It’s a new refrigerator
Grandboy: That’s not cool…
Me: Are you kidding? What’s cooler than a refrigerator?!?!? Get it a refrigerator is cool
Grandboy: Joke’s not cool, gwumpa
Grandboy (with his walking stick in hand, and the stick trailing behind him: Hmm hm hmm hmm hmmmmm
Mamasan: Hey you’d better get your stick off the ground
Grandboy: Mom it’s not a stick, it’s a DRAGON (Winks to me)
Mamasan: What? O. A dragging stick. It’s a-draggin. A dragon. So funny.
What can I say? He’s a good student.
Grandboy: Momma what does that man’s sign say?
Mamasan: It says he’s hungry and he’s looking for money for food 🙁
Grandboy: (silent)
Mamasan: (wondering what’s happening, looks back)
Grandboy: (window rolled down, shouting): Here! Here! You can have my sandwich!
Homeless man (looking down at the outstretched hand welding a soggy, mostly-eaten bit of breakfast): Why THANK you. Thank you so much.
Grandboy: Momma! Just like you said! The time was right to give something! He heard me and I had something… Thank you momma
That little morsel of bread wouldn’t sustain the man for long. But maybe the message is food for his soul.
You go mamasan, keep teaching the boy to be the change he wants to see in the world.
Grandboy got in trouble when he and another boy were punching each other in the cafeteria. The story, as relayed by mamasan:
Other boy: Hey look, is that your mom over there?
Grandboy: [looks “over there”]
Other boy: [suckerpunch to the gut]
Grandboy: [retaliatory strike]
[punching continues for a bit, no one is hurt, but phone calls had to be made]
Actually I take responsibility for this. I’ve always told the grandboy to never be afraid of monsters, but to stand strong and take them down if needed. He’s definitively on my zombpacolypse team
Grandboy (having just lost an online game): Well, that’s not fair but life isn’t fair, right gwumpa?
Me: Yep. Keep practicing. You’re learning stuff.
Me: [cleaning]
Grandboy: Gwumpa i’m driving my car to your shop. You can fix it for me?
Me: I can’t sorry, I’m cleaning things right now.
Grandboy: it’s PRETEND
Me: [looking over at pretend car] Sorry, I can’t play pretend. i need to get this stuff cleaned up before the working man comes here.
Grandboy: No gwumpa, PRETEND you’re playing with me.
Me: Ummmm, ok. I’m PRETENDING to play with you while i clean up the house.
Grandboy: Yay! That’s good gwumpa, good job
Me: Hey boy, come pick up these Legos.
Grandboy: UUUGH gwumpa I’m going to play with them LATERRRrrrrr…
Me: I almost stepped on one NOW. Please come pick them up.
Grandboy: Ok fine i pick them up. (starts cleaning) You know, you should be CAREFUL when you walk, or you gonna [exclaims] AAAAGH i STEPPED on a LEGO
Dog: …
Grandboy Stop laughing, Elvis. Not funny.
—-
It’s never to early to learn how to irony
Grandboy: Gwumpa look, it’s lightning there
Me: Yep. What about the darkning?
Grandboy: The darkning? What’s the darkning?
Me: The opposite of lightning. It takes light out of the sky and removes noise from the air.
Grandboy: What?! That’s only make believe.
Me: Yes. I’ve never seen darkning.
Grandboy: You know what ELSE I never seen? A WHIRLPOOL. A GIANT WHIRLPOOL.
Me: Well, then maybe it’s make believe.
Grandboy: No, no gwumpa that’s REAL. I saw it on Minecraft.
And me without any red or 2s. This kid is killin meh
