Monday the forecast was for colder weather followed by a snowstorm beginning Tuesday.  It was to snow and blow all afternoon and through the night leaving possibly 12 inches of snow and 40 mph winds.  I called my daughter Kathy and asked if Noah Fredrick, my youngest grandson could come and stay a few days with us.  I didn’t think he should be out in that kind of wind and weather just for pre-school.  She quickly agreed.  When school let out early Tuesday afternoon, Kathy’s work let out early, too and they arrived at our door before 3 p.m.  How very glad I was to see them!

Noah brought all of his favorite things, including his sleeping bag and several of the stuffed animals he loves best.  I surprised him with his nursery room newly redecorated and ready for him to spend a couple of nights.  We recently had new carpet installed throughout the house and moved his twin bed which sits close to the floor and his train table into the smallest bedroom.  The walls are covered with Winnie-the-Pooh type wallpaper that is 27 years old–the same wallpaper we put up when our first grandson, Mike Jr. was born.  It is covered with soft, colorful little animal scenes underground, all kinds of critters making candy, cookies, and carrying out their business.  A child’s fantasy and good for grandmother’s, too.  I’ve always loved that wallpaper and Noah loves it, too!

Grandpa moved the rocking chair into the nursery room and I made his bed up with fresh linens.  The train table we bought last Christmas looks great in the little room and he was very happy to put his overnight bag and gear into his own room this time.  He loves to stay overnight with “Nan” and begs me to stay “another night.”  We awoke this morning with 15 inches of new snow and lots of wind.  Papa was gathering up his gear to go out and plow the snowdrifts.  When we looked out the window last night, the snow was already waist high on the deck.  I was glad I’d remembered to fill the bird feeder all the way up on Monday because I won’t be able to get to it for a few days.  Noah pressed his little nose against the window and I think he really wanted to go out and make a snowman, but of course, it was too cold and windy yesterday.  Maybe in a day or two we can make a snowman!  I bought him a new pair of waterproof mittens for making snowballs when we went out on Monday–we’ll have to try them out soon!

Meanwhile, Papa got the driveway pretty much cleared with the big tractor for the three homes up here on the hill.  It took most of the morning to do it and I fixed him a nice hot lunch.  Noah willingly went into his new bedroom when it was nap time and was soon asleep.  We spent the morning watching the birds at the feeder and I found a DVD of Popeye cartoons he hadn’t seen.  He loved Popeye and the spinach, the cartoons I grew up with which I found recently at the Wal-Mart store.  I finished some laundry while he was sleeping.  I took some pictures of the trees and the snowdrifts from the window.  Kathy called to say her office had closed for the day and she was catching up on some things at home. 

Later, we brought up the Christmas tree and Noah and I decorated it.  He loves the lights and we had John Deere tractors to put on it from last year; there were some red sparkling airplanes and little trains and I bought a couple of dozen new ornaments, small ones to hang.  Noah thinks he is big–he is four years old now–and he put the hangers on each one by himself and I encouraged him to “find a branch that was empty” to hang the little red balls on.  He stuck with it and it looked pretty good when we finished it.  Then he looked at the tree and said, “Nan!  You don’t have a star for the top!”  I said, “Yes, we do.  In your room on the little table where your little tree is sitting, there is a Star of Bethlehem under the tree just like the one on the top of your little tree.”  Quick as a flash, he went in and found it.  He was beaming as he brought it back to me, very carefully because it is glass.  We put a hook on it and I held him up so he could place it at the top of the modest 48″ tree.  It was just what was needed to make the tree just right.  O, the wonder of it all!  Thank You, Lord, for my little grandson, Noah Fredrick, who is truly a gift from You!