Lesson #10 Grandparents Rock

 "Our grandchildren accept us for ourselves, without rebuke or effort to change us, as no one in our entire lives has ever done, not our parents, siblings, spouses, friends - and hardly ever our own grown children."  ~Ruth Goode

Ryan and I both were so lucky to grow up with grandparents nearby.  Ryan talks frequently about Granny in Oklahoma as well as Geneva and Walter's influences growing up.  He remembers playing Dominoes with Granny and that she took it very seriously.  When I asked Ryan what he remembered about Walter, he gets this smile on his face and says simply, "He was able to fix anything."  Geneva is famous in Ryan's heart (and stomach) for her apple pie and that she was always there- that it was great to have her so close.

Weezie and Buddy were, for me, surrogate parents.  The kind of people who gave hugs freely and could soothe any hurt with their kisses.  I spent many Saturday nights at their house, eating fried chicken tv dinners on real tv trays, watching The Lawrence Welk Show and singing along.  Afterwards we would color... Weezie always colored beautifully within the lines in small, circular strokes.  I aspired to color as well as she did, and so she would take my tiny hand in hers and show me the way.  Throughout the rest of her life, she was guiding me in much the same way.

Liam lives in Weezie's old house now, her last house.  And he sleeps every night in her room, where I am sure she is looking over him with lipsticked smiles.

And so Ryan and I feel lucky to have Liam's grandparents so nearby, so involved in his life.  Every month on (or very near) the 22nd, we have Mimi, Papa and Grandma over for dinner to thank them for all that they do for us and for their newest grandbaby.  The list is long but includes...
- being there from the time when he was born and then at our house, holding him, loving him, kissing him.
- doing laundry, making meals, cleaning the house up while I healed from the c-section.
- putting Liam to sleep so that Ryan and I could catch just a few extra minutes of sleep. 
- taking care of Lola, our first born.
- driving back and forth, back and forth, from their house to ours.
- Liam sitting so Ryan and I could have "date" nights.
- being an ear to listen and a shoulder to lean on.

These dinners have also been fun to premiere "firsts" for Liam John.  First rice cereal.  First green beans.

Then there are the surrogate grandparents that Liam will grow up knowing and loving as well.  Steve and Anita Evans, for example.  Anita, with her uncanny ability to get the little guy to burp and who has watched him when I have been in a bind.

Ron and Marilyn Brewer (with Juliet of course), who are always good for a laugh and a cuddle.

But I have to end with a special shout out of thanks to the two women in Liam's life who look after him the most (aside from us)... his Mimi and his Grandma.  I hope he inherits your goodness, your caring, your selflessness.  Thank you. 

"Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting."  -author unknown   


Lesson well learned.