Grandma goes to grade school

Today was a great day! I was specially invited to go to Iona Elementary School and have lunch with my granddaughter for Valentine's Day. What a special treat. I couldn't believe how excited I was standing there in the hallway waiting for Hannah to come around the corner. What a thrill to see her beaming little face and to take her hand and walk together to the crowded lunch room. I grinned like an idiot at her first grade teacher, Mr. McKinney, and choked up as I said, "I'm her Grandma." Like he couldn't tell. We waited anxiously in line for our turn to take our sporks and sectioned tray and have it loaded with canned peaches, room temperature tater gems, chicken nuggets, a pink frosted sugar cookie and a carton of chocolate milk. She led me to a table where we chatted like old ladies and nibbled at our food. When we had decided we were done, she showed me how to properly dispose of my unfinished milk into the bucket before tossing the carton and the food left overs in to the waste cans. We put our trays on the counter for the kitchen staff to clean and sanitize them and then we headed for the playground. She told me they were having a party for Valentine's day in the afternoon, but she didn't know who was going to help. Her mom didn't like to help, she said, because they had three kids and it was too hard for her mom to come. I told her that since I don't go to work any more, maybe her mom could leave the kids with me and then she could help in her class. No disrespect to her mom, but I was pretty proud when Hannah suggested that maybe her mom could stay home and I could come and help in the class.

What fun we had on the playground. I helped her play on some of the bigger toys and soon I heard shouts of , "hey, Hannah's Grandma, can you help me?" I helped little boys and little girls all around me. Then it was time to go. As I was walking away, a little boy said, "hey, Hannah's Grandma...you're the best Grandma." I thought I was going to cry.

Few things in life bring the joy or the rewards or the sense of being important as seeing a child smile at you or tell you that you are the best. Thank you, Hannah, for letting me be a part of your day.