My Part of the Story

Little Feet

Did you know? I'm a grandmother. I really am!  This past week I got to meet a new little person and it was amazing. She's not mine to introduce to you, but I can tell you some wonderful things.

But first, here are the answers to the questions:

It feels fantastic.
No, I don't feel too young.
Congratulations are definitely in order.
I don't mind a bit if you call me Grandma.

I think that covers most of the common ones. It's a pretty big deal, so my friends are curious, and that's okay. I'm 47,  which I supposed could be called young, but is actually a few years older than my mom was when my son Jeff was born. But really, becoming a grandma has nothing to do with age for me. It just feels perfect and right.  A baby is born and I get to take a small step into a whole new world. How lucky am I?

But, as I indicated, it's not really my story. Grandmas are supporting characters, as it should be. I'll have chapters to tell about in future years, but for now, my daughter-in-law and son are the ones who get to share the tale of this little girl, on their own time and in their own way.

But here are those wonderful things:

She has the sweetest, softest skin and when her little warm self curls up into that space on my chest just under my chin, I am pretty sure that the world actually stops spinning.

She's calm and, at under two weeks old, ever-so-drowsy yet. Occasionally though, she opens her eyes and looks at me with that other-worldly gaze that babies do--the one that looks like she is about to explain to me exactly how the world works, but then, just as she's finding the words, she blinks and goes back to sleep with a tiny sigh.

Because of these and so many other moments, I am so very grateful I had the means and the availability to go visit my granddaughter in her brand-new-ness. I loved having her sleeping next to me as I sat on the couch, a tiny warm bundle breathing softly while I folded laundry or knitted. I loved being a bit useful to the new parents and letting them get a couple more hours of sleep. I loved that Ashlyn let me make her dinners and do her dishes. It's not so easy to let a mother-in-law into your life, and each experience I have helps me love her more and better.

Family life is the way to learn most of the best and most profound truths of the universe, and I definitely feel like I understand some of those mysteries perhaps a tiny bit better after holding close a baby who is not mine in most ways, but actually is mine in a few important, miraculous ways.

Welcome, my dear. I can't wait to get to know you better.