All's quiet. Our granddaughter is stirring in the next room. It's early morning and once she awakes, the day starts its run. The first thing is a warm bottle and a long walk with Oma and the dogs. We went 3.5 miles yesterday, long enough to tire Kinsey out and drain the excess energy from Oma's head.
Melissa, our daughter-in-love, is recovering from back surgery at our house while her husband serves as best man in MT for his best friend. Melissa can't hold Kinsey for 3-4 weeks. For now, I'm hoisting the toddler up to mom-height for hugs throughout the day.
Meanwhile, we have a designated drawer where Kinsey can haul out the dishcloths and tea towels. She's sifted and sorted plastic containers into bowls, taken apart Easter eggs, and walked the breadth and length of the house many times.
Some women, especially those with selective amnesia, don't remember how much work it was to raise children. As grandmothers, they exclaim how busy and exhausted they are, watching their grandchildren. Personally, I shall never forget how many diapers and feedings a baby needs. Mothering our kids––from the first to the fourth child––was a constant parade of feeding, cleaning, laundry, and training that my husband escaped by working to support us. One or two kids were in diapers for 11 years, with a two years break somewhere near the end. I was happy for the little pause before the last one arrived!
I'm happy to have "outgrown" that stage of life, especially as I watch and thrill to Melissa's great care of their little darling. Now, the love of little hands reminds me that Oma is a good stage: I get to enjoy Kinsey for a few more days before her other grandma arrives to care for her daughter and granddaughter.
God's attention to little ones, from the time their baby toenails start to grow, through this stage––learning to walk and explore––amazes me. Kinsey's high trust and love of people demonstrates Melissa's wonderful mothering and safe household she's growing in.
This morning, I'm grateful for "little storms" of activity that blow into our house, like sweet Kinsey. And I admit that I'm thankful for the pre-whirlwind hush, too!
Read more:
"The LORD is God, shining upon us." Psalm 118:27
*Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150 NIV
This is a good stage, isn't it? It's not that I forgot what mommyhood was like (I had four under age 7 - wait - maybe I DID forget!) I'm just older now. I love it more if that's possible. I used to have so many other things to do. Now with the Littles come, I just concentrate on them. Love it. Love it. Love it.
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