Big Plans for Big Play

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

I have a play date scheduled last Sunday with our oldest granddaughter, Virginia Rose.  As I'm buckling her into her car seat, she announces, "Gammie, I have big, big plans for the day!"

"Oh, you do, do you?"  I respond.  "And what might those be?"

"We're going to play games, and go outside, and draw pictures, and . . ."

"And did Mommy tell you we're going to bake cookies?"

"No!  We are?  I can't wait, Gammie!"

When we arrive back at the house, it's time for lunch.  One of Virginia's favorites, and mine, is tomato soup with oyster crackers.  She can't help but be a bit silly with the latter.

Then it's time to feed the birds.  Virginia especially loves scattering the sunflower seeds on the "Squirrel Table."

We continue to explore the yard once the birds are fed.  Since she was three, Virginia has had a passion for collecting air-soft pellets still hanging around long after Danny's two boys engaged in air-soft contests.  Virginia calls the pellets "BB-Tinies."  Don't you love that moniker?

Crazy Sand is a perennial favorite of Virginia's.  And I can't begin to tell you how many hours of entertainment that provides over the years, especially when she is three and four, and I babysit her a lot!  She loves to decorate what she's making in the sand with her beloved BB-Tinies.

Have I mentioned how much Virginia loves to draw and paint?  If you look closely, you can see that she has recreated some planets with her water colors.

Earlier in the day, Virginia and I are discussing her name; she knows she is named after a state, so I pull of a map of the United States on the computer to show her.

She is fascinated, and decides this is something she needs to draw, too.

Next up, we play two rounds of the counting game, Shelby's Snack Shack.  I am amazed by how much math Virginia is now able to do in her head!

She is elated to win both games, managing to give her Gammie a good, old-fashioned shellacking in the last one.

Finally, the butter we have been softening for several hours is ready for cookie making.  Virginia loves watching our new mixer at work, and minds me about not placing her fingers anywhere near the paddle.  She has gotten quite adept at spooning cookie dough onto the baking sheet.

And even more skilled at sneaking bites!

While the cookies are baking, Virginia creates more art work on our dry erase board hanging in the kitchen.

The cookies emerge from the oven perfectly done, so now it's time for a round of the classic game, Candy Land.  True to form, Virginia whips me at this game, too!

The weather has warmed up, so out we go to the driveway so Virginia can play with her sidewalk chalk.  She is really learning how to spell!

Dinner time is drawing near, so I let my little sous chef spoon the chicken pot pie mixture into the pie shells.

While the pie bakes, a tired Virginia is content to chill out on the sofa with her Uncle Daniel, and watch a movie.

What a blessed play date we have shared!  All the plans Virginia had for the day have come to pass, and then some.  And I'm convinced that God's hands and plans were in it all!

Amen!

This Sunday, my husband, Danny, and I will be leaving for the mountains of North Carolina for some much needed rest and restoration.  I will not be posting any blogs next week, nor will I be reading the ones I routinely follow, as I plan to go as technologically "dark" as possible.  Rest assured, if you leave comments here after Sunday morning, I will respond when we return the following weekend.
May God bless you and keep you, and may His light ever shine upon you, my friends!