The Sleepover

"Grandchildren fill a place in your heart, that you never knew was empty."

It came out of the blue.?We were visiting the Wolfpups two weeks ago and Luke asked,?“When can we come down to your house for a sleepover?”?The question took me by surprise, but it was welcomed. I smiled, hugged him and said, “Whenever you want bud!”?This past Monday my son called and informed me that Luke, Grace and Scarlett were packing their bags for next weekend’s sleepover at Mimi and Grandpa’s house.?The announcer at Indy might have as well said, “Gentlemen, start your engines!”

The next three days would be spent cleaning and tidying-up.?Linens would need to be changed in the guest rooms that the kids would be using.?Grace and Scarlett would probably use the room with the trundle bed, while Luke slept in Chad’s old room.?That meant the sheets with the hearts would be used for the girls and Luke would get the ones with dinosaur images.?The house was only part of the equation, it would also be planning three days of activities for a 4, 6 and 8 year old.??

We met at a halfway point between their home and ours, grabbed a quick bite of lunch, switched cars and headed back.?The conversation flowed freely, and laughter filled the car.?They were especially looking forward to visiting a local business that has trampolines, jumping pits and obstacle courses.?The local school playgrounds were also high on the list of things to do.?In fact, they wanted to do it all.?Any and all suggestions were met with boundless enthusiasm.

Arriving home I pulled in the drive, shut off the engine and before I knew it they were out of the car and in the house.?Why is it easier to get them out of the car than into it??Within ten minutes, toys which had been stored at our house were out and working again.?Luke had found the Nerf gun, Grace was holding a bucket of white fluff balls to use in defense, and Scarlett was inspecting the bedrooms and laying claim to her bed. The next few hours would fly by with time outside, more laughter, dinner, games and bedtime stories.?Remember the linens??Let’s just say it was a spiderman pillow case that got Luke to sleep on sheets with hearts.

To be honest, Saturday was a blur of activities, and the day started much earlier than we are used to.?The time before breakfast was filled with crafts, and after eating we set out on a day filled with playgrounds, indoor activities and a trip to the museum.?Dinner would be take-out from a local restaurant and the evening would end with everyone gathered at the dining room table playing PO-KE-NO.?Soon it was bedtime, and we all gathered in Scarlett and Luke’s room.?Grace tucked in her little sister, as?Mimi read them a Batman story.?At the end of the story they were still wide-eyed.?I then announced I would read them two stories from my book (Before I Sleep).?I had barely begun the second story when Grace whispered, “You can stop, they're asleep”?I smiled to myself thinking that my book had accomplished its purpose.

This morning the St. Patrick’s Day crafts were completed and we got to spend some time at two playgrounds we did not visit yesterday.?We met Chad and Laura at the mid-way point again, enjoyed lunch, said our good-byes and agreed to another sleep-over again soon.?The ride home was quiet, as was the house when we walked in.?Some toys remained strewn about, but everything was stored away quickly.?Am I tired??Yes!?Would I do it again tomorrow??In a minute!

The sleepover served to reinforce some things I’ve come to believe over the years.?Dare I say that it was the “booster” I needed:

1. Family is Everything?- This is a lesson that?is reinforced as you get older.?Need a refresher??Look into the eyes of your child or grandchild.
2. Time is Defined and Time is a Gift?- The time we have with those we love is defined; view each day and the time with those you love, as the gift it is.
3. Never Take Tomorrow for Granted?- One of the hardest lessons that comes with age is the fact that tomorrow is never promised, so we should never take a single moment for granted.?Not knowing what tomorrow holds, soak up every moment of joy with the people you love, and NEVER wait to tell someone you love them.?
4. Keep Learning?- Continue to ask questions and seek answers.?The Wolfpups brains are like sponges; They absorb every little detail around them. They are curious versions of their grandparents that continue asking “Why?”, “How does that work?”, “What is that for?”.?We are never too old to learn.?You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
5. Simple is Good?- There’s a lot to be said for simplicity; basic arts and crafts with Mimi, being pushed on the swing by Grandpa or just playing on the see-saw.? Sometimes the simplest of activities create the best memories.

It’s quiet here tonight, and I’m certain that I will sleep well.?Before going to bed however, I will stop by the room used last evening for our reading time and relive the night.?I might even read another entry from my book or maybe even this one.?I hope I don’t put myself to sleep!

Embrace the Challenge