Grandma Dee's Days: Life is an Hourglass

As seen through the eyes of a (young) Grandma

I’ve been so restless the past decade and had this burning desire to write. I’m not sure why, but I can’t seem to shake it. I suppose it could be because I have just a bit more time on my hands now that my kids are grown and gone, but I have been encouraged through the years - to write. A lady told me once that I was a book waiting to be written and that she sensed there was quite a bit waiting to pour out from my fingers onto the page. Maybe she planted the seed…and maybe this is just for me, maybe it’s for my kids and grandkids someday, or maybe God can use it to help someone else who is experiencing similar thoughts, questions, or struggles in this life. My most recent inspiration came from a woman named Stephanie Nielson. You may have heard of her…she is a remarkable woman who survived a plane crash back in 2008 and lived to tell her story. On her website she has a lovely video with this amazing song by Mindy Gledhill called “Hourglass.” It’s such a beautiful song. I’ve been listening to it all day today while I’ve cared for my grandson, Ethan.

Motherhood to me was and is a gift to be treasured. I think the happiest time in my life was when I was pregnant with my boys. Even though I have experienced many blessings and many joys…nothing has compared to that. I was blessed to have healthy pregnancies. I didn’t even experience morning sickness as so many do. It was just this wonderful season of a miracle that I got to experience twice. Sometimes I will have dreams that I am pregnant and they are SO REAL, when I wake up I am usually just as sad as I am relieved. I’m thankful we had our children when we were young. It takes a lot of energy to raise children…PLUS, now we are still young enough to really enjoy our grandchildren.

Grandchildren (did I say that?) YES, I did, and I’m proud of it. I became a grandmother at age 47. I suppose that’s young, although many are younger. When our oldest son and his beautiful wife told us they were expecting a child my head and my heart were flooded with emotions. Could it be true, could I be a grandmother; and what kind of grandmother would I be? How would I love this child? What do grandmothers do? What is expected of them? How will this affect my relationship with my child,

now a grown man?

Of course we were very excited, and I must admit a bit scared. I’m not sure why, I guess those feelings are normal. So the months passed, and then came the day when our first grandchild would make her appearance. We knew it would be a girl. That in itself was so exciting yet overwhelming…after all, I had raised two boys…how would I know what to do with a little girl? She entered this world right on her due date. She was so beautiful!! She was so tiny! She was this little angel all wrapped up and I got to hold her right away. My son, my firstborn, was now a father. So hard to believe…where had the years gone? My husband and I were overjoyed. Oh how we loved that little girl…from the moment she was born (even before). She was an extension of the family we had begun nearly 30 years before…you know - “All because two people fell in love!”

It was surreal. She was a blessing from Heaven above,

and so with her arrival began my journey as a Grandma :0)