Morning Lord! Sorry for the lack of prayer yesterday – when Dad came around to visit Nathan (and Emily) I seized the moment and left Dad to look after Nathan so I could get Emily organised for school. Somehow that decision seemed to throw the whole of the rest of the day out but boy did it feel good to know that we are finally ready for the start of school next week.
Dad’s visit really cheered Nathan up. Thankfully today is the last official quarantine day. Nathan’s spots are really starting to look less prominent and he’s definitely getting back to his old cheeky self. I suspect there is finally some light at the end of the tunnel. I love seeing Nathan looking energised – there’s nothing worse than seeing one of your babies feeling unwell.
Of course Dad is always a great tonic for Nathan, whatever the circumstances, and I love that Dad is able to be there for Nathan in a way that he maybe never was for James or I when we were growing up. There’s something about the grandparent-grandchild relationship that is so special. Mind you, that’s not always the case. Look at Claire and William. Claire has only rung once since Nathan got sick and that was more to fish for what’s happening with Ashley and to complain about Cameron. Asking about the wellbeing of her one and only grandson was a complete afterthought. I felt so cross about it that I suggested she should come and visit him even though that would mean having to have her in the house but no, they wouldn’t be coming. Some story about the cross pollination of chicken pox and shingles and how friends of theirs have had shingles and you wouldn’t wish it on your worse enemy. Really.
Speaking of James, he rang last night to say that Jasmine is still being hotly pursued for that calligraphy job in Wellington, that the firm have offered to fly her down so she can have a look around, and that she’d decided she might just do that. This has clearly spooked James like nothing ever has before and he practically pleaded with me to call Jasmine and get her to change her mind. I said looking didn’t equal acceptance and that it might be good for Jasmine to see what else is out there, but if he did have something to say to her, something important, he had better get the up the courage to say it himself. Anyway, I guess it does show he cares, which has to count for something I guess.
It’s Linley’s last evening with us tonight as she’s moving out tomorrow. I should be wildly ecstatic but somehow I’m not. Of course it will be wonderful to have our home back to ourselves, but I can’t help but be concerned about the hastiness of this decision and the high likelihood she will fall back into all of her big spending ways. I feel a little talking-to is in order, like a parent trying to explain things to a very small child while they wriggle and pay no attention, but even if it is pointless I think I should still try.
So, as always, Lord, I pray you would have your hand on our family and on our friends, that you would continue to supply their needs – and ours – according to your riches in glory…Amen