Happy Birthday, Elliot!

My dearest Grandson,

Today you are fifteen! How can that be?
It was only "yesterday" that I held you in my arms for the first time
and whispered in your ear,
"You and I are going to be great friends!"
...and we are.

The joy you have brought into my life cannot be measured.

So many memories....

...your first birthday

......Christmas festivities every year with all the family

........a calendar full of fun each December

......wonderful plays and activities all over Portland during the Christmas season.

......going every year on the Max train to downtown Portland to go to Santa's Toyland on the tenth floor of Meier and Frank....

...wonderful OMSI activities during the holidays

...spending every Christmas Eve over night at my house to wake up
to stockings and brunch.

....Easter egg hunts in my back yard

...playing restaurant on the back deck

....loving playing dress up

...the little two year old who would call for me very early in the morning, "Grandma, I hear the birdies, its time to get up". Then when Gram tried for a few more snoozes, here would come the plaintive little voice, "Grandma, do you love me?" and that brought me right up and out of my warm bed to come get you.

....the wonderful times we had at the Children's Museum---you up in the firemen's loft and refusing to come down to me....oh my! Lots of memories.

....all of our trips to OMSI and the marvelous learning that went on each time we visited, which was usually every time you came to came to see me.

...trips to the beach and you making a fort in the sand, long walks, chasing the waves, running from them-- such memories!

....driving Uncle Bill's boat on the Columbia River--do you remember????

....me driving down to pick you and Molly up each Wednesday after school, going to the Stayton Library to work on homework, check out books, read to you, going for Subway Sandwiches for supper, then taking you home to put you two to bed while your folks were at their fellowship group. I loved those years!

...play dates with the cousins, with the Shoman boys, with Jimmy Glisan,
swimming at Nick's...so many fun times when you visited.

....the fun you had at Imagination Station over and over again

...getting your first pair of roller blades--thump, bump, fall, get up......

....bowling fun so many times

Our wonderful Disney Cruise...and you insisting on going to the top deck for breakfast by yourself--so you could "meet" people....and coming back with the announcement that you had breakfast with a nice family from Canada, or someone from New York...you were quite the "schmoozer", getting to know lots of people on that trip--and we cannot forget how you loved the crab cakes and even got the recipe (for 500) from the head cook!!


I could fill this blog with the hundreds of memories we have made together--many you have forgotten, I'm sure...but always alive and vivid in my mind.

...appointing yourself our waiter for dinner--one of my ear rings and all

....getting all duded up and having a "cuppa" with me

...attending the Missions Conference with Aunt Colleen and Uncle Bert Elliot....and meeting the Auca Indian who speared Jim Elliot, for whom you were named...

....practicing golf at the pro shop

...always army stuff all over the floor for your battles..

....building Legos---some new sets, but many having been your Dad's

I love you, sweet child. You have always held a special place in my heart. Your avid curiosity about things around you, your love of Civil War history, your early interests in vacuums, and trains--your quirky little obsessions have all made you the unique special person you are.

...always the engineer of the trains, both real and imaginary

...riding on Samtrack at OMSI--
Do you remember you cried when Samtrack closed down?

....going to Hood River to ride Thomas the Train Engine and meet all of his crew

wonderful memories, wonderful experiences, wonderful child!

May the Lord bless you and keep you as you begin this next year of your precious life.

This is a year of new beginnings,
starting high school,
taking charge of your ADHD and leaving off all meds
getting your driving permit possibly,
harder classes in school,
and hopefully,
a time of strengthening your walk with the Lord.

Happy Birthday, My Special Grandson.
I love, love, love you!

Gram