Dawn Loves Buttercups

I was delighted to meet this wonderful little girl (and her equally lovely brother) in 2022.  The grandchildren of a very dear friend and distant cousin of mine, they quickly stole my heart. 

You see prior to getting to know them, I always held the impression that American children were somewhat loud and precocious.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Naturally as siblings they quarrel and wind each other up, earning them time out to reflect, but with them nothing lasts too long and they are fiercely loyal to each other.

However I concentrate on the lass who will be 10 in January.  Even though she doesn’t understand everything, she is deeply spiritual and gifted in many ways.  A fierce little soccer player at one end and a soft soul who likes hugs, painting and making things.  She’s gifted me some beautiful artwork and on several occasions we have sat together watching “old” (suitable) films, one of which was “The Sound of Music”.  She astounded me with the questions she asked and the depth of her understanding of both the beautiful and dark sides of the human psyche.  As she watched the film with me, we both had ‘watery eyes’ at certain points in the film and then she said, ‘I hope I love like that!’. Wow, where did that come from.  Equally she loves murder mysteries and at one point took to writing down who she thought the suspects were in some of the “Brokenwood Misteries”, she watched with us.  I am convinced she is an old soul and look forward to watching her grow up over the years.  Equally with her brother I have come to love them as if they were my own grandchildren and feel grateful to be allowed to be a part of their lives.  I only wish I could see them more often.  My own twin grandsons are almost 22 and my two other grandchildren (one of each)  live in Australia, so having “borrowed” family is like an extra gift in life.