A Mother's Day Story - Adventures with Autumn

Our four year old granddaughter Autumn has always been small for her age and seemed younger than she actually is, probably due to being a preemie. But this year she has just blossomed and just about every time she opens her mouth she makes me smile.

A couple of weeks ago I was tending her and she very seriously said, "Gramma, do you have any tulips?" I said that I didn't. "Gramma, do you have ANY flowers?" Again I answered that I did not and that it was too early for flowers yet as it is too cold outside. Then she said, "But, Gramma, I really NEED to pick some flowers for my mommy for Mother's Day." (They had been discussing it at Preschool I guess.)

I had been hoping the weather would warm up and we might have lilacs or the May tree might be blooming by now, but of course not. The weather has been unseasonably cold with lows in the 20's and highs only in the 40's for most of the last two weeks. Thus no flowers to pick at Gramma's house.

So on Friday, Autumn and I went to Walmart to look at flowers. We had to check out EVERYTHING...all the cut flowers, all the bedding plants, all the flowering plants for Mother's Day. Such a hard decision for a little one to make. Finally after traipsing from the garden department through the whole store and back twice, she settled on a miniature rose bush in bloom. Then as we were going to the register she says, "I think I should go look at the flowers in the garden again."
"Did you change your mind?"
"No, I think I should get TWO!"

Well, I nipped that in the bud. lol (My budget could only handle one.) So we get the rose, pay for it, and head to the car.
"Gramma, did you know I gave Mommy some flowers this day?"
"No. Did Pa help you buy them?"
"No! I grew them at school. They are on the kitchen window 'cuz there is sun there. Flowers need sun."

We get in the car, buckle up and start for home.
"Gramma? When is Mother's Day anyway?"
"It is the day after tomorrow."

A pause, a sigh and then she says, "WELL! Those flowers better get to growin'!"

The rest of the story
Today when I told Bethany about this conversation, she informed me that the "flowers" are marigolds in two tiny Dixie cups. One has two tiny leaves and the other is just a shoot with the seed still stuck on the top! I think Autumn was right. "Those flowers better get to growin'!"