9.10.2010

GrandParents Day- Guest Post




Today my mom is my guest poster...however she doesn't know she is my guest poster =) I would link up her blog BUT Ireallydon'tthinksheblogsanymore!

She wrote this and emailed it to me yesterday...it brought tears to my eyes for many reasons, for the love she feels for her grandchildren, the fact my daddy isn't here anymore to share in the love of a grandchild...many reasons...

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Twenty years ago, I found I had fallen in love again. I was captivated by his deep blue eyes, his spontaneous smile and contagious laughter; I was totally under his beguiling spell. My heart was completely taken by him as I acted uncharacteristically foolish with every bit of news about him.

As Grandparents Day on Sunday approaches, my heart is still completely taken by him, and I'm still in love! The first elated joys of grandparenthood have turned into a deep, abiding love and memories of years that have delighted and still delight us.

Now I have eight grandchildren, each one wonderful, uniquely special and very much loved. This year is a landmark year for us because our first grandchild, Casey left for his freshman year at college, his very close younger brother, Trey joined the military and our youngest two grandchildren,Hayden and Colin have moved far away from us to Nebraska. A new stage in life for them. And for us.

We think, as grandparents are prone to do: Has our love, our influence, made a difference in the lives of our grandchildren? Have we imparted any wisdom to them, maybe some shining gem that will help them as they make those important young decisions? And our bright-dispositioned third-grader, Colin: Will he be stronger as he faces the more rigorous demands of childhood because of our presence in his life? Oh, please, let the answer be, "Yes!"

How can we relate to our grandchildren who are separated from us by two generations? Want to talk to them - call or text? Text and you're more likely to get an answer quickly, and yes, you can learn how to text and you'll be glad you did-I did!

We want to connect, but how when the world has drastically changed from the one we knew at their age? Music? (I loved "Elvis.") Fashion? (Well, we had our moments, too; leisure suits and beehive hairdos come to mind.) This is a question worth asking and thinking about.

Although many things change, some are timeless. Our grandchildren, like us, have hopes and dreams for their lives. A friend once told me that she asked her son why he liked being with his grandfather. He said, "He makes me feel special."

"How?" she asked. "He doesn't talk about my brothers when we're together, but about me." Our opportunities to be with them may be limited, so carpe diem - seize the day.

There are, at least in my mind, pearls of wisdom I want to pass on, especially as they leave the comforts and security of home to chart their course in life. Time passes quickly. Abby and Shelby the young teenagers looking at me now from the driver's seat of the car can change in the blink of an eye from the child riding a scooter or laughing as we are making something in the kitchen. In my mind Reese becomes an active little baby in a moment unless I remember he's almost 16. Oh, I just woke up, realized that Jessica and Hayden, have leaped into adolescence overnight.

So I seize the day, trying not to sound like I'm giving a sermon, and drop a few of those pearls on them. Truths we've found important to live by, like understanding you don't have to blow out another person's light to make yours shine; consequences follow actions, so choose well; appreciate the freedoms we enjoy and the sacrifices of those who made those freedoms possible; trust in the faithfulness of God, no matter the circumstances. I could go on but will try not to go on and on.

Without a doubt, our grandchildren have made a profound difference in our lives. They brought something into our lives we never knew we needed. Have we made a difference in theirs? Will they remember those pearls? Yes!

Grandparents can provide a strong arm around their grandchildren, whether now or remembered, which gives them the legacy of inner resources to face challenges, to remember who they are, fragrant memories of supportive family times, and the knowledge deep within their souls that, as a song from our generation and theirs - paraphrased - proclaims, "Oh I know, yes I know, Hallelujah, they just love me so."


My confession for today: That was Beautiful Mom...just Beautiful!


34 comments:

  1. I agree...so beautiful. What a special grandma to make the effort to be in their grand children lives. You can not wake up once they are grown and wonder why they are not a part of your life when you never were a part of theirs while they were growing up. I have a lot of issues about this very thing.....so I'll just stop there.

    My Aunt LV is the picture perfect grandmother....she made a HUGE effort to be a part of her Grandchild and great-grandchild's life at an early age, and she means the world to them.....I am SO glad I have the perfect example of what a grandmother is about so when I have grandchildren.....I plan to model after all the things she has done. But then again....she is just that special of a person!!!

    This was a great post.....I'm gonna reread....loved it!

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  2. Although I have some catching up to do to reach the ranks of your mother I can totally relate! Love love love the grands so much and I feel so blessed to be a part of their everyday life.

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  3. This is absolutely the sweetest thing I've read in a long time. Bless your beautiful Mom.

    Have a fabulous weekend, my dear friend!

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  4. your mother is a fantastic writer. I see where you get your talent

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  5. Wow Georgie's mom - I can see why your daughter is the great person she is.

    "you don't have to blow out another person's light to make yours shine" - LOVE that.

    Happy Grandparents Day!

    (off to get my kiddos to make cards for their's...)

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  6. So lovely!!
    How blessed you all must be to have mom/grandma in your lives : )
    continued blessings to you all!

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  7. Ok.....thanks for making me cry! That was beautiful!

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  8. Awww that brought tears to my eyes. You have a great mom!

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  9. Your family is blessed and your Mom can write!
    Send some happiness to your Mom!

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  10. And not one shred of motherly guilt in that. Grandma rocked it!

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  11. Great guest post! I wanted to let Georgie know that I tagged her in my latest post -8 questions:
    http://themommayhem.blogspot.com/2010/09/8-questions.html

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  12. That was beautiful and your mother is wise and has many pearls of wisdom to share! THanks for sharing this with us!

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  13. What a wonderful mother you have that appreciates the best things in life are free. I can relate to her perfectly. I have been there and still do it. I visited my great grandson today for lunch. His first year in kindergarten. Breaks my heart he is growing up much too fast. I loved my granddaughter dearly. The love I have for Layton (her little son), is above any approach. I give thanks each day that the good Lord let me live long enough to enjoy and love him.

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  14. I love that!! so sweet!!!

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  15. Beautiful! My grandmother was my whole world when I was young and I determined to be as much like her as I could. I feel I'm succeeding a little when my 4-year-old grandson (who is 7 hrs away) wants to call me every day after preschool to tell me what he did.

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  16. What a great post. I hope that the time my son spends with my parents (and in-laws) instills in him the love and honesty that family brings. :)

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  17. I adore your mom and how she treasures her grandchildren. If she wants to adopt a few more, just let me know, k?

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  18. How beautiful this message is! Bless all grandparents as their approaches, here and beyond. Mine all have angels' wings, but their words are still in my heart and soul!

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  19. How lovely.

    It isn't easy for grandparents to be relevant in the lives of kids, especially as they get to the teen years. It helps if the grandparents are flexible and can bend with the times.

    And if they serve good food. Free meals are a draw clear into the grad school years.

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  20. This is so beautiful:) I love the relationship my oldest has with my mom. He calls her from college - she sends him care packages and when he is home he "allows" her to treat him to lunch. Very sweet. I always wondered what sort of grandfather my dad would have been but he died about a year before his first grandchild was born.

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  21. good morning! thanks for stopping by my blog and for your comment (thanks to SITS!). I heard this quote once and loved it: "God created grandparents because he couldn't be everywhere"

    Happy grandparents day!
    www.castazero.blogspot.com

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  22. Georgie,

    No wonder you are the lovely person that you are! What a beautiful testament to love and family. Happy Grandparents Day indeed!

    :-)
    Traci
    (formerly 38Traci)

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  23. That is so awesome and such a treasure for you and your kids to have! So, so sweet!

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  24. What a moment, to read this now. I just lost my grandmother. She passed on Wednesday morning and I was with her. She was absolutely one of the most influential people in my life, besides my mom. I am here to return favor follow you, and it's like it was "meant to be" for me to come and read this and know just how special my grandma surely thought I was, and to reinforce just how special my grandma was/is to me (having difficulty with the past tense thing).

    My favorite:
    "We think, as grandparents are prone to do: Has our love, our influence, made a difference in the lives of our grandchildren? Have we imparted any wisdom to them, maybe some shining gem that will help them as they make those important young decisions?" A RESOUNDING YES. YES, yes.

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  25. That was beautiful! Thank you for sharing it with us!

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  26. You are right. That was beautiful.

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  27. Beautifully written!

    Couldn't I just have had grandkids first?!?! They seem like much more fun. Hahaha!

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  28. I missed Grandparents day. We were returning from vacation. I am sad because it was the first for my Dad. Hoping to make it up to him somehow.

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  29. One really quick lady....congrats. Let's get together, drink wine, watch RENT and sing at the top of our lungs with them!

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  30. How touching! Everyone needs a good cry first thing in the morning.

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  31. That was amazing!!!! I'm still working on the parenthood bit, but look forward to grandparenthood far far away in the future... *grin*

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  32. Fabulous article! Great for both those who have studied typography and those who never even knew it existed. Bookmarked!!

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  33. I agree! I love this.

    "you don't have to blow out another person's light to make yours shine" I'll never forget this one...awesome.

    I also agree that a very simple thing grandparents can do is just make their grandchildren feel special, especially when there are so many of them :)

    Thanks for sharing this.

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