Just when we needed a ray of sunshine

Our ray of sunshine visited us yesterday.

Over ten years ago, Cliff and I took on a babysitting job.  All our grandchildren were growing up, and we had often mentioned how we missed having a baby in the family.  A local couple who pastured their horses on our property found out they were going to have a baby, and I told Cliff we should offer to babysit her when her mom went back to work.  I was nervous about asking Adam, because who really wants an old couple taking care of their infant?

But they were glad for us to take the job!  Oh my goodness, how we spoiled her for six years!  If I tried to make her mind, Cliff would raise his voice, telling me to leave her alone because while we had her, all he wanted was to enjoy her.  Every day was a continual playtime, with two old fogies who could barely get down on the floor with her somehow managing to do it, grunting and groaning and trying to get comfortable as she gave us orders on what we were to do next.

Cliff still talks about her all the time.  Nobody would believe how much he cares about that child.  Something about being able to connect with her from the time she was born made her seem like "our baby".  For five days a week, we were responsible for her.  When she napped, I napped beside her every day.  

Here's the wonderful thing, though:  She still comes and visits us.  She was here one day last week, and again yesterday (she's out of school for spring break).  She shows Cliff funny videos on his computer, sitting at his side while they laugh together.  She built things with Legos yesterday.   And after we ate our noon meal, we taught her to play Crazy 8's.  Turns out we didn't have to teach her, because after one round of it she said, "This is almost like Uno!"  

Long ago when she was an infant, a little blanket someone had given her was left here; it's in the toy box now, so any children visiting us can use it for the dolls I keep for such occasions.  I tell Cora it really belongs to her, and that she is welcome to take it home if she or her parents want it. Then I tell her I like having it here because it reminds me of the fun we had with her when she was a baby, small enough to have the blanket wrapped around her.      

And we STILL have fun with her!