"Grandma!" Echos through the air, when your grandchildren see you appear at their final soccer game of the season. Oh those days when we had 4 boys on 4 different teams and little girls in dance classes. A mother soon learns that "laying down your life for a child" has absolutely nothing to do with the delivery table. And it has everything to do to setting your personal life aside to make your child's self esteem and life the very most important. As parents, Tim and I are on the other side of those demanding day and into the days of "HOPING TO REMEMBER" that one of our grandchildren is excited for us to be their watching one of their little victories that seems so BIG. Abby was so excited that her coach left her in the game for such a long time, this week, just because she had learned to play her position properly. Abby's smile says it all!
Ben was so disgusted with himself and his playing ability because the other team had scored two goals and he hadn't even had a chance to score one! "I'm a bad player!" he moaned to me. With that, my motherhood stood on end and I said, "You are what you think you are, Ben. If you say your bad. You'll play bad! But if you think to yourself, "You're good!" You'll play good. So what are you Ben?" And with that grandmotherly advice, he turned and smiled, "I'm a good player, Grandma!" And gleefully skipped back into the game. Years from now, he'll never even remember that Grandma was even there. But for today.....I was and he listened!
Like most of life, we sit on the side line and cheer our children and grandchildren through many kinds of wins and loses. And with every word from our lips.....we hope to be instrumental in each one of their developmental changes. But the power that carries the most punch is the power to love. We love each of our children and grandchild. They are all so good and trying so hard to do their best. For Tim & I....it just remembering! When we do remember, love comes pretty easy. That's all they expect from us & it's so fun just to laugh & play and be the hero all the time. We don't carry around all the responsibility of comings and goings or keeping each one of their agenda's in place, with uniforms washed, mouths fed, and carpool pick-up in order.(Besides......there's getting too many of them! I'm good to remember birthdays and even then I slip up!)
We just need a parental reminder (Like they have nothing to do.....teehee teehhee)and we'll be there. As you grow older, you think you're going to have more time! Hah! You just have to make more time to stop what's really not important and focus on what really is. Embracing and loving those moments of being able to give and receive love.
"Grandma!" Echos through the air, when your grandchildren see you appear at their final soccer game of the season. Oh those days when we had 4 boys on 4 different teams and little girls in dance classes. A mother soon learns that "laying down your life for a child" has absolutely nothing to do with the delivery table. And it has everything to do to setting your personal life aside to make your child's self esteem and life the very most important. As parents, Tim and I are on the other side of those demanding day and into the days of "HOPING TO REMEMBER" that one of our grandchildren is excited for us to be their watching one of their little victories that seems so BIG. Abby was so excited that her coach left her in the game for such a long time, this week, just because she had learned to play her position properly. Abby's smile says it all!
Ben was so disgusted with himself and his playing ability because the other team had scored two goals and he hadn't even had a chance to score one! "I'm a bad player!" he moaned to me. With that, my motherhood stood on end and I said, "You are what you think you are, Ben. If you say your bad. You'll play bad! But if you think to yourself, "You're good!" You'll play good. So what are you Ben?" And with that grandmotherly advice, he turned and smiled, "I'm a good player, Grandma!" And gleefully skipped back into the game. Years from now, he'll never even remember that Grandma was even there. But for today.....I was and he listened! 
Like most of life, we sit on the side line and cheer our children and grandchildren through many kinds of wins and loses. And with every word from our lips.....we hope to be instrumental in each one of their developmental changes. But the power that carries the most punch is the power to love. We love each of our children and grandchild. They are all so good and trying so hard to do their best. For Tim & I....it just remembering! When we do remember, love comes pretty easy. That's all they expect from us & it's so fun just to laugh & play and be the hero all the time. We don't carry around all the responsibility of comings and goings or keeping each one of their agenda's in place, with uniforms washed, mouths fed, and carpool pick-up in order.(Besides......there's getting too many of them! I'm good to remember birthdays and even then I slip up!)
We just need a parental reminder (Like they have nothing to do.....teehee teehhee)and we'll be there. As you grow older, you think you're going to have more time! Hah! You just have to make more time to stop what's really not important and focus on what really is. Embracing and loving those moments of being able to give and receive love.
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