Sharing grandbabies!

This week has presented our family with a whole new set of challenges! How do you go about sharing grandbaby visits when both sets of grandparents live in the area? Frankly, I thought I was always good about sharing...but this is a whole other realm of unselfishness! The kids are home for a weekend, the middle of the week, and another weekend. We came up with a plan....the first weekend through Wed the kids and Emma would stay with Charles' family. On Wednesday they will come here and spend the end of the stay with us. Both grandparents agreed to honor the time of the other and stay away! :) Right away....I breeched the contract! I didn't mean to do it....Katie and Emma stopped by here on their way to the other Granny's house. What could I do? So for a blissful hour or so....we got in our hugs and kisses.....then sent them on their way! While they were in route to the Cassady clan.....other Granny called. She stated I had breeched the contract. She would not soon forget....and from now on she would only refer to me as "Gabby who?" She is fun and dad-gum-it....I even like her myself! She is going to be a fun Granny! I am going to have to step it up a notch to compete with drama Granny!

The whole thing got me to thinking about my own grandmothers. My dad's mother was just so sweet. She lived in town right down the street from us and I just remember her being gentle and kind. I would spend the night with her sometimes. She had a black and white 57 Chevy, stick shift. She always cooked frozen fish sticks and cherry pie for me. She was not a great cook...but I remember those two dishes fondly. She had a green thumb. Her backporch was covered with clay pots filled with geraniums. To this day when I smell the earth smell of geraniums I think of my Granny Lucas. It is one of my favorite flowers...and smell.

My other Granny was a stinker! She was nicknamed "Stormy" by family members and known for her temper. But...she was energetic and fun. We always looked forward to being at her house. She was always up to something. We played in her cellar. There was a rodeo every Friday night in their small town. We never missed a rodeo. They had horses behind their house....and chickens. All of it right there in town. There are dozens of Granny Burns stories.....she was my adventurous, funny Granny.

What kind of Granny will I be? Will I be the fun one....or the wise one. Will I be the fluffy, soft Granny? Will our home be the safe retreat filled with homemade smells? Maybe I will be the movie Granny? Or the art Granny? Maybe the blogging Granny....for sure I want to be the praying Granny. I could try to be the Super Granny.....but that is too hard! Too much pressure! What I do know is that right now I have two beautiful granddaughters that share the same middle name and I could have never expected to feel so full of love for them.

Being a grandmother is like playing a supporting character in the play called life. I know I no longer will be the actress carrying the main role....that role belongs to the mother. But...hopefully, I will play my supporting part in such a way that it will impact these little lives positively forever. And this I know....the role of grandmother is precious....and the more the merrier. Little ones cannot suffer from having too many adults love and support them. SO....bring on the Grannies! There is room for all of us! We will add the flavor to that sandwich called life! :)

Happy New Year

The weather is cold and icy and I am in a reflection mood. My sweet daughter reminded me that I had not updated my blog...that she had gone to the trouble of giving birth....the equivalent of pushing a basketball through a paper towel roll....and I had yet to write about it! She is offended and is wondering just what she has to do to get a mention on the blog! Therefore this writing is dedicated to brave daughter number one and her sweet baby Emma.

New Years Eve was the most memorable new year of my life. Our Katie was scheduled to go in early the morning of the 31st to be induced. The baby was ready, she was ready....and it was a go! Amy and I were there for support. Charles was working and was to meet us at the hospital later that morning. Jim and Greg were home waiting for us to call them to tell them things were moving along...so they could move along too! Andy and his little family had the good sense to stay put at home and come at a later date. Their little one is only two and they understand the whole RSV/germ thing. Then....the hospital called and told us they were full... she would have to wait awhile. The tears came....Amy and I rushed in to assure her that it was all good and now that we were dressed and ready we could plan a fun day of shopping and lunch. Not exactly what Katie had in mind. Only when you are 9 months pregnant...fully loaded... do you desire and look forward with anticipation to pain. But no sooner had we cheered her up...than the hospital called again to tell her to gather her things and come on! Woo Hoo!

The hospital was just so nice. One could do some major shopping in their gift shop. Her room was large and the nurses were just precious. She was assigned one nurse that took care of her exclusively. I don't remember much about the day except that it was happy and really low key. Katie had an epidural so she wasn't in much pain. Charles was part concerned husband part interested doctor. He drifted between roles. He kept us well informed about all the machines and the procedures.

What I do remember is around 10:30 p.m. the doc came in and everything started to move in warp speed. It was clear things were happening. Katie had asked that Amy and I be able to stay for the delivery. I had given birth to three children and was wide awake during all three deliveries.....but I guess I was busy and didn't really pay attention. It was the first time I had witnessed a birth....and it was amazing. Katie was a trooper..... I was so proud of her. When little Emma's head appeared....her eyes were wide open and she blinked! It was unbelievable. What a miracle it all is....this miracle of birth! It takes your breath away... I could do little else but cry....tears of joy.....and of pride. Wasn't it just yesterday that they handed me a little girl with similar black hair? How could it be that my baby was now having a baby?

A few hectic days were then followed by a few quiet calm and restful days. I stayed with Katie and Emma. Charles went back to work....everyone returned to their busy lives. For three sacred days there was three generations of women folk just loving on each other. Mother, daughter... mother, daughter... grandmother, granddaughter. Katie realized for the first time how much I loved her. I watched her becoming a mother with all the instincts and love from her new mother heart. She was born for this role...and Miss Emma is a blessed little one.

Charles is over the moon in love. He realizes that not all deliveries are the same. The birth of his daughter was fairly textbook.....but really like no other! Heart strings and love do that to new parents. It is only just beginning for them. With each coo and crooked smile they will fall more deeply in love. Their lives will be forever changed by the smell of a sweet baby head...and that is a good...a very good thing. The layers of the sandwich are growing...multiplying! And...life has never been better!