restitution

If I could describe my grandmother in one word, it would be- generous.  She wanted everyone to feel special all the time and would go to great lengths to make that happen.  She had china and she served dinner on it everyday.  Her philosophy was why would you save something for a special occasion instead of using it with the people you love the most.  

On Christmas, we were in the midst of moving.  Among the boxes of new toys screwed VERY tightly into their packaging, was more boxes filled with our belongings waiting to be loaded into the moving truck on Dec 28th.  Needless to say, our Christmas was busy and rushed. And... we ate our Christmas dinner on paper plates.  As we were dishing out the meal that B.'s grandmother prepared with my mother and mother-in-law while we packed, I was just thinking how much different it would be if she were there.  She was a woman that somehow got everything done.  She went to college in the 1930's and worked as a school principal while she raised 3 boys in the 50's.  Though I know she would have understood and would not have been ashamed, I still felt like I was letting her down a little.  

One Saturday morning, I feel like I made restitution.  A. had a tea party with 2 of her new little friends.  Her flower shaped jelly sandwiches were served on Mommom's silver.  Her orange juice with sherbet was in her tea carafe and her fruit with dip was on her china serving platter.  

A. waiting for her friends to arrive

A. didn't want K. sitting at her table with her china. He was banished to the play room.  

Somehow, he wriggled his way back to the tea party to make his very own butterfly shaped  fancy Nancy inspired place mat.

Here's to you mom mom!  I hope I'm half the mother that grandmother that you were!