“Where have twelve wonderful years gone?”
In the blink of an eye and ten grandchildren later, a milestone is months away from the intersection of “Letting Go” and “What’s Next Lord?” for this grandmother.
I do this to myself regarding most upcoming milestones in my life; reminiscing, savoring the memories, and rehearsing my approach to the milestone which waits for me this fall.
My kids might roll their eyes to my sentiment, and maybe consider this overly dramatic.
But that’s fine by me.
They haven’t walked this stretch of years in the shoes of a grandparent yet.
They haven’t witnessed the births of the next generation from the other side of the delivery door.
They haven’t soothed and rocked their grandchildren in the wee hours of the night, whose bond with them follows as they crawl, run, scrape their knees, participate in sports and sit with us during Grandparent’s Day at school.
They haven’t sewed a Godly heritage and family traditions into the fabric of those lives who call you Gaga and Papa.
So, when this grandmother is a bit sad approaching the intersection of “Letting Go” and “What’s Next Lord”, the milestone this fall where her two remaining grandchildren catch the bus for kindergarten, our adult children might want to take notes for their future reference.
Yes, I can barely comprehend how the pages of these past twelve years of school days have been the quick read they’ve been.
Outgrowing pull-ups and pacifiers for lunch boxes and backpacks, these world changers of ours have been overly excited to take their assigned seat on the school bus and in the classroom, where they’ll learn to write their name and absorb whatever the world opens up to them.
As our little students graduate from preschool, kindergarten and beyond, so must a grandparent graduate to the next step in God’s plan for her, where those Friday mornings spent at the park and Gaga’s house with her grandchildren not attending school yet are no longer needed.
Letting go of those smiles showing up for biscuits and gravy and sharing a cup of coffee with their parents after the school bus left already with the older children earlier is difficult.
Letting go of the idea of working so I might enjoy this small window of time as a stay-at-home grandparent was well worth the moments and memories never to be retrieved after all these boys and girls have taken their seat in the classroom.
So many firsts await our grandchildren when they’re old enough for school.
Parents and grandparents document these firsts as best they can through pictures and scrapbooks, hoping these milestones are seared into the memories of this next generation, reliving the details captured in time through stories and pictures.
Letting Go of the hands which used to hold on tight while walking across the street, now run without looking back as they once did before.
Though enjoying their grandchildren from the sidelines while parents take their rightful place on center stage, this “letting go so kids can grow” must happen.
Gone are the naps they begged to share with you, while watching Peppa Pig from the phone as they clutched their favorite blanket until we both fell fast asleep.
Nap time at one o’clock pm took place a bit longer than your mother approved, as I wasn’t ready to let go of our afternoon time together, even if you were.
But sadly, kindergarten signups came and off to school you went.
This stay-at-home grandmother even spent weeks away from home each year to share afternoons with her Hawaiian babies before they turned five, taking our special trips to the park and walks around the neighborhood.
Naps weren’t your thing but our afternoon time rocking to the moon and stars were the best.
Yes, this grandmother is a bit sad as she approaches the intersection of “Letting Go” and “What’s Next Lord”, the milestone this fall where her two remaining grandchildren pack their lunchboxes for school.
These two adorable faces that have grown up just as fast as the other eight, yet I savor the minutes and seconds I have left with them before the alarm clock rings for school.
“What’s next Lord?”
“How can anything be more fulfilling than time spent with your grandchildren?”
But these gifts of ours are growing up.
They don’t need us like before, though this is God’s plan.
In letting go, they now have room to test their wings to fly.
Papa and Gaga celebrate these treasured ten called our grandchildren.
They walked down the aisle and stood with us at the altar as we celebrated twenty-five years together in our Wedding Anniversary Renewal. The little ones thought we were getting married.
The best day ever spent with them.
The weight of fall is heavy on this grandmother’s heart.
Kindergarten is coming for our two youngest granddaughters.
One will take her assigned seat on the yellow bus as well as the class room; the other will ride her bike with her siblings; and we couldn’t be more excited for them both.
The intersection of Letting Go and What’s Next Lord will be crossed with great joy as God’s plan continues to unfold in these children’s lives.
What’s next for this grandmother?
I’ll see the sign when I approach the intersection in a few short months.
God has a great plan for me too as I graduate from this season of stay-at-home grandmother.
Until then, I’ll savor every minute and second with these remaining two until the alarm clocks rings for school.
