Awesome

As she slipped her arm through mine she smiled. Her lightly tanned skin was clear and clean. Her blonde hair was blowing in the light breeze as she had run toward me. Her smile was amazing. She grinned from ear to ear. What a beautiful woman she will be. I am sure that Eve must have looked something like this gorgeous young lady holding my arm – so pure and so radiant.

As we walked along she said something that I will never forget. They are words that are so encouraging and carry so much power. They are words filled with dreams and possibility. They are words that will carry her forever – if she can keep a heart that matches what she expressed in that special moment.

She looked up into my face and said, “Grandpa, Grade Two is awesome!”

Meet Emma, my only granddaughter. She is 7 years old. This is Day Two of the 2006 school year. Two teeth are missing and she can smile to show them. This is what angels are made of I am sure!

In the next few moments as we walked to the car she poured out what her day had been like. I learned that she loves her teacher already – “She is amazing”. I found out that Emma has forgotten lots of her French but she was able to read real well today and is really excited about what she is going to do in this grade – because Grade Two is awesome.

“And Grandpa, guess what. I have an ‘agenda’ now!” The delight she expressed in that statement is difficult to place on paper. Her voice was filled with excitement. I was the very first person that she has shared this new secret with which made it even more fun.

I wish everyone could meet Emma. Emma makes a difference when she comes into a room. My guess is that Emma will make a difference wherever she goes. No one will ever be the same after they meet Emma.

Let me tell you more. She now speaks French as well as English. But to top that off she has mastered at least three different accents in English. When she does her impressions of “Nanny McPhee” (Click here to find out what the movie is about)– the super nanny in a movie that Emma has seen – guaranteed you will laugh with her. Incidentally – Nanny McPhee is played by an Emma Thomson. (I wonder if this is prophetic?)

Our Emma is not perfect. You need only ask her brother Clifford his opinion. She can drive him crazy. But to temper that statement you must remember he is 11 years old and almost a man. Sparks can fly on a long car trip if they don’t fall asleep.

There are days that I have witnessed the smoldering that she is capable of at times. Either it has been along day or maybe Emma has a desire (that no one knows for sure where it came from) – and she can immediately enter the “Don’t go there..” stage! At that special transformation her arms cross, her eyes focus on the target in front of her, and her eyebrows follow as they come closer together to express the extreme displeasure that she is feeling at that moment.

The slow simmer that she can and does exude is one that can make huge tears well up in her eyes without moving her face muscles at all. These tears are coming from a completely broken heart – or an imagination with control that most actresses would die for. Emma is capable of expressing herself.

At one point when she was with me and tears had been flowing freely. Her arms were crossed and she broke sobbing, “Clifford wishes I was dead!” That was her opening statement to more that would follow. Grandpas are not easily caught off guard – but I was at that moment.

Yesterday… “Grandpa, Grade Two is awesome!” was a treasure and a gift that I will keep.

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Matthew 18: 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.