Being a "grandma" truly is alot like all of the cliches I've heard over the years.
1. It's wonderful; you get to enjoy them, then give them back to their parents.
2. Thank goodness you have babies when you are young - they take so much time and energy.
3. Loving a grandchild isn't quite the same as loving your own children because your children are entirely your responsibilty; all you have to do is the "love without reservation" part with a grandchild.
And so on.....
But being a grandparent is a reality check, too. Hey! I am almost 65 and still concerned about my children's happiness and well-being. But it does bring back the wonderful memories of babyhood that are so hard to enjoy when they are happening. Think tired, out of shape, uncertainty, too much responsibilty, not enough time or money..... Still, the infant and toddler stages were so special and it is a wonderful thing to reflect on as a mom.
We were blessed with happy, healthy, babies! I'm not sure we even have any pictures of them crying. Our daughter, Jenny, has told us that she is so thankful for having a childhood where she could just be a child. No drama, lots of love, and never a dull moment! Our Drew was just as happy and full of energy, if not more so. They were water babies and still are.
But eventually our fledglings had to leave the nest. All of our lives changed and moved on. But nothing changed about how much we loved them and wanted them to be happy.
Now we have more family to love and enjoy. We were blind-sided by the breakup of Drew's marriage to Sandi. I am still a little bit in denial there. And I wish things were different; 'If wishes were horses....'. Love isn't something I can turn off. I am thankful that Sandi still thinks of us as family. Otherwise, this would be even harder to bear. Jenny and Tim have had their bumps in the proverbial road, but have weathered them well. Didn't stop me from worrying and losing sleep, though. :-)
So, babies grow best with love and security. Then they fledge, and you must let them go through life and learn their life lessons, just as we did. And continue our loving, caring, and being concerned as they do.
