Single Digit Kid

We're down to only one single digit kid now, and it's going to last only one more year. Davis turned 9 on March 31 and I reminded him he had only one more year as a single digit kid. He's enjoyed his place as the youngest of the cousins, but I do think he's ready to be a double digit kid. Ethan will turn 11 next Thursday, so he's been at this double digit stuff awhile. Why do they want to grow up so fast? It's amazing how much faster the grandchildren grow up than their parents did. Maybe it's the daily thing, I don't know.

Anyway, when I was with the boys for lunch last Wednesday we got to talking about digits, and I asked if they thought we'd ever have any triple digit people in our family.

"Do you think I can live to be 100?" I asked.

"I think so," they both agreed.

"How old will you be when I turn 100? I'm 72 now."

In no time at all they added 28 to their ages, and gleefully came up with 37 and 39. Such smart boys - and always full of fun. I doubt that they will have time for lunch with their grandmother when they are 37 and 39. I wonder if Schlotsky's Deli will still be around. That's one of our traditions, you know. We have several.

I wonder if I'll still be around, or enjoying the presence of Jesus. Maybe we all will be. Their Dad used to think it would be such fun to go to heaven (when he was 3)because you would have your own lion and everything. Must have heard about the lion and the lamb thing in Sunday School. He said to me that day, "It's not a bad thing to die is it?" Oh, how I wondered if God was preparing me for something that day, and I just had to explain to him that being in the presence of Jesus is a wonderful thing, but the ones left behind miss the one who is gone so much.

"Maybe we could just hold hands and all go up together," he very seriously replied.

We all hung on that vision for a long time, and it's still one of our family's famous lines.

A long while later I asked him if he remembered wanting to go to heaven and he said, "I kind of want to grow up now."

Which he did, and now his sons are growing up. And, now, I'm trying to decide if I want to be a triple digit person. I'll take whatever God has in mind and thank Him for each day.

But I still think it would be fun to all hold hands and go up together. Maybe on Father's Day as we form a circle and hold hands around the chopping block to pray before our meal.