We had some special guests in our home recently. All five grandkids (and their parents, of course) spent a weekend with us. They all live at least four hours away so we don’t see them frequently.

These are Julie’s grandchildren but she lets me play with them.

The grandkids range in age from five to 13. In fact, the oldest, Eliza, celebrated her 13th birthday the second day they were here.

I first met Eliza when she was nearly 3 years old. I remember this curly-haired toddler with whom I helped build “towers” with wooden blocks. We interrupted block-playing for supper. As soon as she was done eating she went back to her pile of blocks and shouted, “Arvid, come and play blocks with me.”

Women have been shouting orders at me all my life but I think she was one of the youngest.

That little girl is now a teenager who plays the violin and the trumpet and operates a video camera for her church’s online broadcast. Grandkids grow up faster than their parents did.

Wyatt, 10, and Beckett, 9, are Eliza’s younger brothers. Beckett turned 9 a few days after their visit. Wyatt plays the saxophone and Beckett is taking piano lessons. Both boys enjoy sports; Wyatt loves to play baseball and Beckett is involved in the wrestling program at his school.

Wyatt and Beckett brought back memories of when I was a kid. They get along, of course, but every so often the brotherly love erupts into a quarrel. With good coaching from their parents their quarrels are more civil than when my brothers and I quarreled. We rolled around on the floor knocking the snot out of each other. I observed no snot-knocking over the weekend.

Both boys are enamored with their Pokémon card collections as is their cousin, Lincoln. At age 8½ Lincoln is a talented young musician. He is learning the piano and is quite good already.

When birthday gifts were opened by Eliza and Beckett I was pleased to learn that Lincoln had purchased gifts for his cousins with his own money. Kindness is best learned early.

All five of the grandkids are intelligent. The last time we visited Lincoln’s home he and I played three games of Hangman; he won two of the games.

Lincoln loves baseball, too, but he’s also involved in gymnastics, swimming and snow skiing. I hope he never asks about my athletic endeavors. I don’t want to disappoint him.

Then there’s Hannah! She may be a candidate for a position with the CIA someday; nothing gets past her. Hannah, Lincoln’s little sister, is only 5½ years old but she takes a back seat to no one.

Julie tells me that when Hannah’s mother was a child her father called her “Demando Commando.” Genetics are powerful!

Strong-willed little girls become strong leaders. Hannah is on the road to success.

Julie was a preschool director many years ago so when the grandkids come she has a schedule of activities planned for them. On this visit she had the kids paint stepping stones which are now on exhibit near our house.

We took all five grandkids to an electronic game arcade in a nearby suburb one afternoon. I gave each of them cash to purchase an electronic card to play the games and it was one of the best investments I have made in recent months. Watching the children’s enthusiasm and excitement as they played each game was worth every penny.

The electronic cards record points earned while playing the games and when the card’s value is expended the player can select prizes. Watching the kids selecting their prizes was a joy, too.

We enjoyed some good meals over the weekend, including freshly picked Dallas County sweetcorn. The grandkids’ favorite, however, was Grandma’s mac and cheese. They claim that Grandma’s mac and cheese is “the best.”

Grandma’s secret recipe: Velveeta™ brand mac and cheese.

Before they left Sunday morning, Lincoln and Hannah sat on my lap as we watched YouTube car-crash videos on TV. They enjoyed the videos as much as I did.

Someone said, “Grandchildren are God’s way of compensating us for growing old.” That may be true!

Arvid Huisman can be contacted at huismaniowa@gmail.com. ©2023 by Huisman Communications.