When Wishing Can Make It So

In December, we planned a January trip to the Southern California coast for a bit of sunshine. Our plan was to first visit the Newport Beach area, then travel across to Palm Desert. The first part of our trip we'd be alone, the second part we'd be with family.

Toward the end of December, our son & his wife mentioned they had an extra week off after the New Year holiday and were thinking about taking their 2 kids somewhere warm. Gray is 6, and Nash is 4. I refer to them as 'the littles'. They're the smartest, cutest, sweetest, most talented grandlittles on the planet. (At least Grammy & Papa think so.)

Because we had a second bedroom in our Newport Coast resort condo, we offered it to them, knowing that if they joined us we'd all have a very fun time together. So their planning began; they asked us not to say anything to the littles so that it might be a fun surprise.

They arrived the day before us and stayed in a lovely hotel. They spent hours at the swimming pool and had fun wandering around the little town of Lido, adjacent to Newport Beach. The following day they had a repeat, then in late afternoon packed up and moved to the resort where we were to meet them. The littles had no idea Grammy & Papa were joining them.

After checking in at the front desk, we texted to say we were on our way to the condo, knowing how surprised Gray and Nash would be. Needless to say, we were awfully excited to surprise them!

"Knock Knock Knock ... Room Service." (me)

The door opens and our son is standing there, and little Gray is standing next to him. She sees us and rather than her usual running to us for hugs greeting, she just stands there looking confused. She's not smiling, she's not jumping up and down ... she's just standing there. Nash realizes it's us and comes running.

I jokingly say something like, "Gray ... what are you doing here? How the heck did you get here? Wait, isn't this our condo? I'm so happy to see you, though!" She's still just standing there looking perplexed. Which is very unlike her.

Once we were in the door and settled, she was fine and talking up a storm about how they'd been swimming every day. Later, our son told us: "Gray's been cranky all afternoon - she's really tired from swimming for hours. But here's the funny part. Shortly before you knocked on the door, she was pouting and said: 'I don't want to be here with you. I want to be here with Grammy and Papa.' And then, knock knock, there you are."

Boy, did we all laugh! No wonder she was confused!

Later, snuggled up on the couch with her, I said to Gray: "I hear you wished we were here - eh?" And she whispered: "Grammy! It's magic! I think I have magic powers! I wished for you to come, and then, and then, and then you CAME!"

Suffice to say that all week we got a good laugh about it and Gray never stopped talking about her new magical powers. If she wished it, it would very likely happen.

Moving forward to February, Gray was hoping for snow. One of her kindergarten teachers told her that if she'd wear her pajamas inside out and backwards, and put a spoon under her pillow, maybe it would snow (the forecast was for a snowstorm).

Sure enough, the next morning there was snow on the ground and it was snowing hard. Looking out the window, Gray yelled: "It's snowing! It worked! I wished for snow and it CAME! I did it! Again!"

I can hardly wait until she starts wishing for a horse. And then a car.

Her magical powers are likely to become much more expensive.