favorite things :: verses with gaye

Long before Liam and Elliott were born, I had a special dream for my kids - that they would be able to make Bible verse books with my grandma Gaye. One of the few childhood memories I have is of learning 26 verses, A through Z, while making a special book with my grandma, a page for each verse. Who can resist cutting and pasting? But, truly, the undivided attention and praise from my grandma was enough to buoy me for days. And the verses - All we like sheep have gone astray, Be kind one to another, Children obey your parents it's the right thing to do... - have stuck with me all these years.

Now, my wish is coming true. Every other Thursday, Liam has a date with Gaye to learn the famous alphabet verses and make his own treasure of a book. Each visit Liam learns a new verse and Gaye tells him a story to help make the simple truth stick. They sit together at her little table and bend over his notebook together; she spelling out the words, he carefully forming each letter. But the part that gets me, that really takes me back, is how she talks to him - the whole entire time. "I'm so proud of you," she says. "It's great!" "What a good job you're doing." "I love you."

In Gaye's voice is all the love and pride and tenderness a human can contain. In her presence, at that moment, there is no one but my son.

I sit quietly in the adjacent room taking it in, drinking tea, knitting whatever's on my needles and wiping the tears away. If I could only give one gift to my kids, I am sure it would be this.