May 5 – “Cailyn and MoeMoe”

Cailyn was over again the other day while her Mom was in school.  For some reason her little "Mommy instincts" were piqued concerning my Mom.  Now, to the other grandchildren she is MeeMaw.  Kel had the distinction of naming her when he was a youngster.  That's yet another privilege of being the firstborn.  Us poor middle children never get to assign pet names to the adults around us.  We try to say a name and instead of it coming out "so sweet and so cute" like it was for the oldest, we get something more like, "No.  That's not right.  Her name is MeeMaw."  Sorry younger siblings.  I feel your pain.  But then the youngest comes along, or in this case the only girl.  Then the game changes.  I guess the parents are tired of the battles they have been fighting with that second-born, so the baby is free once again to be creative.  OK, I know I have been mixing up families here and the dynamics are different in different situations and I'm still a little bitter about being the forgotten middle child (wait, did I write that down?).  Back to the story.   Cailyn had been here awhile.  We were sitting in the office.  I was working on the sermon and Chris was reading the paper.  Cailyn had settled into the little kids' rocker I just finished refinishing.  All was quiet.  For about three seconds.  Suddenly she sat up rigidly in the chair and  questioned, "Where's MoeMoe?"  That would be her own personal pet name for Mom, hence the extended discussion above.   She jumped out of the chair before either of us could reply and announced, "Time to get up."  She was right.  Mom was taking a nap back in her room.  Chris tried to get out sort of a muffled, "But wait, she's asleep."  Didn't matter.  Cailyn was on the move.  Before we knew it we heard Mom's surprised, "Well, look who's in my room."  And in a short minute or two both of them joined us, Cailyn walking slowly in front of her.  And the announcement was made in true Johnny Carson style, "Here's MoeMoe."  Cailyn had determinedly walked into the bedroom and thrown off the covers.  No discussion.  It was time for MoeMoe to get up.   Days like that are fun to watch.  Cailyn crawls up into her lap, knowing that she has to do all the work.  Or she snuggles into the tiny spot on the couch next to her and hands her a book to read.  Her latest point of concern has been the bottom button of Mom's house robe.  For some reason Mom never gets that one snapped, so Cailyn has made it her personal mission to snap MoeMoe's bottom button.  She has also taken MoeMoe on a few walks.  In the walks with us, Cailyn want to cavort over the entire block and then some, dancing here and there, exploring homes and ant beds and wildflowers all along the way.  Mom can't go all that far, though, and somehow Cailyn knows that.  And she's perfectly OK with that.  She takes MoeMoe by the hand and very slowly walks right by her side, watching the ground around them so her personal charge doesn't get tripped up by unexpected obstacles.  They usually get about one house away before Cailyn makes the turn and directs her back to the rocking chairs on the front porch.  And when Mom sneezes – or any of us, for that matter – Cailyn is quick at the trigger with her, "God bless you, MoeMoe."  Yesterday she shared some of her fruit snack candy with MoeMoe.  You know that is an event, when a child is willing to share candy with anyone.  And when Mom misplaced her glasses Cailyn was right there with us, looking all over for them.  We finally found them sitting on the side of the bath tub.  And Cailyn was proud to be the one to deliver them into MoeMoe's waiting hands.    Two years old and eighty-four years old.  The interaction between generations is priceless.    Proverbs 20:29 says, "The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old."   Father, thank you for giving Cailyn the chance to connect with a great-grandmother.  Doesn't happen often in our world today.  Amen.