grandmothering. totally grand...

Today I feel compelled to share
how absolutely WONDERFUL
it is to be a grandmother!

It's one of life's seasons
that one must experience in order to understand
the magnitude of its magnificence.

There are no words to adequately describe
the avalanche of emotion that spewed from me
when my "baby" had a baby...
especially when the realization dawned
that Sweet Husband and I are not the parents of this child,
our child is.

The sense of relief that came with that thought
was indescribable and pretty much made me
downright giddy!

Of course, Sweet Husband and I
want to be  fully supportive and "in sync" with how
our children desire to raise their children,
in the admonition and fear of the LORD...
and we are excited about reading God's Word to them,
singing about Jesus with them,
praying with them...and for them...
which we've been doing since the pregnancy tests showed two lines!

But, we are also elated with the future fun (God willing)
of coloring on the wall (which will be covered with chalk paint),
eating ice cream before dinner (occasionally), building forts,
playing make-believe, hide-and-go-seek, go fish, and, of course,
reading lots of good stories...
perhaps even making up some of our own!

When I see Hudson, now 8 months old,
and he recognizes me, grins and reaches for me...
well...
there are no words...
you'll just have to think of something that makes your heart
feel like it's going to burst with joy...elation...euphoria...
and you'll be not even half-way to where my heart soars.

Grandbaby #2 is supposed to be making his/her grand appearance
on or around June 7th...
and momma-to-be felt him/her dancing during church on Sunday...
for the first time.

I don't have the privilege of feeling
those baby-in-the-womb flutters (or stomps) anymore...
but, the flutters (or pounding) in my heart are as palpable
as I remember my womb flutters being...
and they're minus labor and delivery pains...
hospital bills...diapers...sleepless nights...
not that they weren't all definitely worth living!!

One of the greatest joys of being a grandmother, though,
is watching our daughter be a mother...
and the anticipation of watching our son be a father.

As I spend time with our daughter,
observing her tender maternal love for Hudson,
hearing her heart for Hudson to love Jesus,
knowing her tinges of sadness that he's almost ready to wean,
sensing even now the brevity of these days...

And as I ponder our son,
who has loved babies and little children since he was a little tyke,
becoming a father,
knowing the miracle that is his life,
hearing his initial struggle to come to grips
with his impending fatherhood...

I am excited about the adventures that lie before them...
sure to be laced with infectious laughter and crocodile tears,
multiple stitches and a broken bone or two,
unending questions,
spontaneous, non-sensical knock-knock jokes
made up one after the other,
sibling fun and frenzy,
soaring achievements and heart-wrenching disappointments,
embarrassing conversations and teachable moments,
the mystery of what each day holds and
the amazement of survival at each day's end...
parenting is probably one of the best rides ever!

...until grandparenting comes along...that is!