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First off let me explain that ‘hot dogs’ are not a bun with a weenie, wiener or frankfurter. Hot dogs to these girls, Katie and Maddy Hacker, are just the meat. That explained I will tell my story although it is still cute whether it is just the meat or meat slathered in mayonnaise and mustard with pickle relish all wrapped in a long bun, but earlier on this day it was Corn Dogs.

The other day as Nanny Mary was thinking of something new to do with the girls she decided they would have a picnic out on their back patio. She got the lunches all ready in their plates, put out their utensils, napkins and the cups for their drinks and Maddy began to say a ‘blessing’. She closed her eyes and said, “Thank you God for Mommy, Daddy, my sister, Nanny, and THANK YOU GOD FOR CORN DOGS. Their mom Carrie says that Maddy’s prayers before bedtime often include not only all the family members, the dogs and even themselves but often whatever food pops into her mind.

You may not know that these nearly three year old charmers, Katie and Maddy Hacker who happen to be twins but not identical are not my grandchildren or even my great grandchildren but Pat and I have ‘adopted’ them and they us as part of our extended family. Their stories and antics are legend and I try to not bore people with them too much but when they come out with a good one like this one related to me by their Nanny, Mary Garrett, I wanted to share it. Don’t all grandparents, brag even surrogate grandparents?

These little girls have been attending the United Methodist Church here since they were infants where they happily enjoyed ‘big church’ with their mom. There was always someone at church more than willing to help Carrie get them into the building and often a line to see who would get to take care of one or the other during the service. When they became vocal and I don’t mean that they cried out, but when they began to interact with those in front or in back of them with their baby noises they joined the ‘cradle club’ in the nursery with Ms. Erma. Ms. Erma always commented on the ‘babies’ as being so good and later on as being so well mannered. They are still those things but add to their credits they are so funny. I am sure that they learned to say a blessing or their prayers from a combination of exposure to church at an early age and from their mom.

When they could barely string two or three words together they were saying “God bless you” if you sneezed, coughed or made any sort of bodily noise! They are very polite and even say, “thank you” and “you are welcome” to each other when they talk to one another. Now they are learning “May I be excused,” from the table when they have finished their meal. Somewhere along the line some kids have forgotten these little niceties of etiquette.

This politeness the girls now use reminded me of when I was teaching my own kids some of these things and one was not to interrupt when someone else was speaking. Our son had been trying for sometime to get his 7 year old idea out while his great grandmother was talking. I stopped him saying, “Brad, don’t interrupt Grandmother when she is talking!” He said to me in 7 year old desperation, “But mom, she is ALWAYS talking!” With my own two great grand’s I heard a similar conversation about interrupting and it went like this, “Evan, the seven year old, was talking to his Pop and me and his 10 year old brother, Isaac, interrupted and he said to his brother, “Isaac, I am talking here!” What an adult chastising coming from a child.

We are always tickled and surprised at what these girls come up with. They are great storytellers and sometimes we are sure they have made some up and other times they sound plausible. For instance now that they are in ‘school’ they will relate things they did while there. I have asked about who is in their class and they mention two little boys there and one they like better than the other because one is more exuberant than the other. I asked about little girls and they are quite taken with one who has a long piggy tail. I asked what color her hair was and Maddy reported it is yellow and Katie piped up and declared it to be red.

Maddy is clearly, or so we think, a leader in learning and mischief and Katie is quite willing to join in, especially the mischief part. I heard that Maddy will not or would not at the beginning of school sing, but Katie was more willing to sing and dance. Maddy likes being the snack helper and Katie likes being the ‘calendar’ girl. I know for a fact that Maddy awakens from her nap all cheery and ready for whatever is next and have wondered about Katie because she does not like to be waked up and can be quite grumpy.

They told us about one of their classmates that had to stay out in the hall one day. I wonder if that is like being banished to the ‘cloak’ room to use an archaic term, as was done back in the day if one misbehaved. I recalled while writing this when my son was in pre-K and when I picked him up on the first day of ‘school’ he told me had to stand on the porch for the better part of play period. I thought, uh oh, this does not bode well for his school days!

I have heard from the ‘girls’ (we have quit calling them the babies) mom that we are often included in their prayers, and they might go something like this, “God bless Mommy and Daddy, Nanny, Bailey and Ellie (their dogs) and oh yeah, Granny, Poppy and THANK YOU GOD FOR CORN DOGS.”