Treasure Your Treasures

Still here in Austin, I was able to celebrate my youngest grandson’s 11th birthday. His birthday isn't until November 17th, but they’ll be out of the country on that date – so Nana must do what Nana always does. I threw my Bryson a birthday celebration last night, complete with the fam’s favorite – Waikiki Meatballs, followed by Nana’s chocolate cake (I have to give credit where credit is due – it’s Great Granny’s recipe), and then the Pièce De Résistance – Nana’s family tradition for years – the Birthday Treasure Hunt.

My grandmother's claim-to-fame, in my books, is that she introduced me to my future husband when we were just 13 and 12 years old. Her words were "Ronnie Wuerch says he likes you". My reply was "Tell him I like him, too!" From that point forward, we were destined to be together forever. I loved my grandparents and they loved me so much -- their prayers for me are still working. As precious as they were in my eyes as a young child, I never knew that "hands on" grand-parenting, like my grandchildren do. I didn't even realize I didn't have it, until years later when I became a grandparent. When our grand-parenting time came, we knew we wanted an "up close and personal" relationship with our grandchildren. So from the get-go, we set out to be those doting, over-the-top, in love in words and deeds, grandparents. Way before our first grandson was born, I had a "Hope Chest" of toys, puzzles and books.....that would stay at Papa & Nana's house. In fact, to this day, I still have the old Nintendo 64 controllers and games. I still have their favorite book "Barbapapa" and I still have the Lincoln Logs and Legos. They all know they'll find those "treasures" at Nana's house! Maybe I’ll soon have great grandchildren and they’ll have their own “Romper Room” at Nana’s. No pressure -- Braden & Ruth! LOL!

Treasure Hunts have always been a part of our grandchildren’s lives. It was my way of spicing up the Nana & Papa fun. It’s a work out to get the rhyming clues together then hiding them at specific locations, then it’s the birthday boy or girl running to all the locations for the next clue until it concludes with the grand finale gift found. I love making these memories.

Since Bryson is home-schooled, I had to get up early yesterday morning to make the cake, before he woke up. But I knew the wonderful aroma would be lingering, so I had to hide the cooked cake, by quickly baking cinnamon rolls that hid the cake aroma. Talk about secret tactical operations!!!

I had to stay up late putting the clues together the night before as well as wrap his birthday finale gift, and then when Bryson was at his golf lesson in the afternoon, I hid all my clues, and decorated the kitchen table area (our usual birthday location) with birthday balloons and décor. Oh, how I love this sweet season of grand-parenting. I’m making memories that will outlive me and I know they’ll be carried on to my grandkids’, grandkids. I’m leaving fingerprints and footprints.

Maybe you’re still in the parenting mode – but, before long (Trust me…..the time flies!), grand-parenting will become a part of your world, and in that case, my “professional grandmother” recommendation to you is to get intimately involved in their lives. While moms and dads are no doubt the greatest influencers, grandparents can come in a close second.

We always wanted our grandchildren to know that we pray for them, stand ready to be there for them, and to support them as best we could, given there are miles that may separate us. I'm, by no means, wanting to be dishing out a guilt trip to anyone that doesn't have that "bent", but I assure you, there is nothing to compare with that precious love. There is nothing sweeter on this earth than to hear "Nana, I love you so much!"