In 1995, I started what has become, up to this point, a 20 year career in Christian education. These twenty years have allowed me to teach my own three daughters through the difficult tween and early teen years. Additionally, I have taught many other 11 to 14 year olds in all academic subjects, as well as, to one degree or another, mentor them in the things of God as well.
On my first day of my first year at Ossipee Valley Christian School, I met a 12 year old seventh grader named Katrina. She was funny, disruptive, loud, and very bright. She was my first excellent juggling student. She mastered machetes, torches and five balls. She was the first person I ever passed torches with. Yup, I threw flaming torches at this 12 year old kid, and she threw them back at me. We never got burnt.
We kept in touch through her high school years. After a reprieve, she got back in touch with me as a young adult. She even lived with our family for a period of time and began calling me 'Dad". All three of our daughters see her as a cool, big sister. So I was very honored, but not surprised, when she asked if I would give her away at her wedding. She married Jim, a great guy from the Yukon Territory of Canada.
Now Jim and Katrina have just celebrated their fifth anniversary. They quickly had two beautiful children, Narnia, age four, and Noah, age almost three. They came down from New Brunswick last weekend, and the kids have grown up so much. Actually, Noah is considerably taller and broader than his big sister; He kind of looks like a little, red headed Dick Butkis. Narnia is more like a strawberry blond pixie. As she pirouetted around our yard, she sang, "I love summer, I love summer!"
My wonderful wife, Sue, made spaghetti with homemade sauce for lunch, and Jim and Katrina caught us up on all their news. Jim continues in law school, and when he finishes, Katrina wants to go to seminary. I have to admit, though, that for me the most memorable moments of our day will probably be hugging the kids on our couch and a bizarre stretch when I showed Narnia how to throw crab apples from off of our tree so they would bounce on each step of our porch before hitting the ground. And I love that the kids call us Grampy Rick and Grammy Sue.
When we have our own grandkids, we will do our best so they understand that they have a special place in our lives that no other child can fill. That's what we tried to do with our three kids when Katrina lived with us, and that worked out beautifully. I know God will work it out for the next generation as well.