the night I became a grandmother

Excuse my absence ... all month and especially this week. I was soooo sick all week! Yeah, I brag on rarely getting sick and wham-o, a nasty virus hit.

It was bad, bad .... but thankfully I'm going to live,

and I read most of a wonderful book I've had sitting here. More on that sometime.

 

Anyway, off topic.

So cliché, but how quickly time passes.

I was thinking this week how my oldest grandchild is going on 4 and a half.

And thinking of the night I became a grandmother. It wasn't the night she was born,

new year's day 2010, it was when Ari and I met ten days later.

Taken from my blog ...

 

Newborn Ari

 

I met my brand-new granddaughter, Ari, last evening, and by 11:00 p.m.,

we were quite cozy with each other.

I said, "Ari, how about we have some quiet time in your room in this nice rocker?"

She agreed by finishing some of her mom's milk from a tiny bottle, grunting and settling herself into my arms.

Eleven o'clock.

Midnight.

One o'clock, then 1:30.

At 2:30 I still held her.

The time flew.

My cheek caressed her perfect and warm, fuzzy head.

My thoughts reached over the years to sleepless nights of feeding and

 comforting my own four babies. 

I remembered my tears, rocking my babes in the wicker rocker my mother had used. Familiar smells and baby-warmth made this little one seem like one of my own ...

but then I realized she is my son's daughter, Ari, and I, her grandmother.

Grandmother? It doesn't seem possible.
But that night, as Ari made me a grandmother, was the holiest of moments.

My mind settled on the wonder and timelessness of it.

My eyes were heavy, yes, but my heart was full of love and thankfulness and peace.

Four-year-old Ari

Since that night in January 2010, God has given us four more grandchildren, an overwhelming, beautiful armload. And each of them teaches me so much
and to treasure being a grandmother.
They challenge me to fill our moments with love, silliness, and wonder. 
And to point them to their heavenly father.

Two-and-a-half-year-old Ari with Baba