GRANDLOVE: LOVE BEYOND MEASURE

We took this Sweetness to meet the doctor who has begun our journey in earnest.  All of us were impressed with the honesty of the doctor when he said that what is affecting our little guy is a mystery.  A huge battery of tests began Friday afternoon and more are already scheduled. 

Bright eyes followed all the doctor's movements and quick, little, chubby hands grabbed the shiny instrument used to test reflexes.  When asked if our little guy was always so happy, we could answer truthfully that his mood has been the one thing not affected by whatever he's battling.

We have no answers, but at least we have a doctor who listened, examined, and took our concerns as his own.  I feel hopeful, because once we receive a diagnosis, then we will know the monster that is attempting to steal our precious little boy.

GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING

Spent a few hours with my Grandlove and that's all it took to give me peace, hope and the overwhelming feeling of well-being.  He is better than any prescription in helping me to know that good will prevail and the negative aspects of life will not be enough to squash me and mine.  Such a gift from God, my Grandlove. 

SWEETNESS: TIMES TWO

When we went to brunch Saturday morning, the sweetest things in Cracker Barrel weren't on the menu.  My Grandlove and Heart passed the waiting time by coloring and checking out the activities nearby.  Once the food arrived, our little guy loved the meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, baked apples and biscuits.  As I looked across the table, I imagined that I was my mom and was transported back in time.  She would love our little guy, since his disposition is very similar to his mom's and in her Nana's opinion our little girl was perfect. 

"YOU DON'T KNOW": BECOMES, "YOU DID KNOW, AFTER ALL, MOM"

Today, I received an unexpected gift.  It was a simple, yet complex gift.  My daughter finally understood why I used to tell her that I couldn't go to sleep when she was out at night.  I worried about her safety and even though she poo-poohed me at the time, I would explain that until she was once again safely home, I couldn't sleep, so the curfew was to be honored. 

When she told me that she finally "got it", I asked her why and she explained that a drunk driver was in jail after killing someone.  This is not the first time (and I know it won't be the last) that a drunk driver escaped unharmed after killing someone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  It's just that now my daughter works in the place where that drunk is kept until trial.  So after all those years of sticking to my guns and praying for my daughter's safety has led us to this day.  The day that my daughter has matured into a place of understanding and appreciation.  I am grateful for her clear thinking and hope she remembers my way of parenting when in a few years she is watching over a precious boy who will want to go and explore the world. 

Stay strong, be firm and love him with the knowledge that the brain doesn't reach full maturity until the twenties.  Good luck, Sweetie.  If you thought, colic was tough, wait until he's thirteen and, "You don't know" is thrown at you.

DIVORCE: THE NEXT GENERATION

During the past few weeks we are going through another change that initially caught us off guard. When the word "divorce" was mentioned and then declared as a fact in our life, we were hit with a tsunami of emotions. Disbelief, disappointment, and despair began our journey through these times.

My husband and I are both children of divorce, so naturally we carry our own personal experiences in our hearts. Not to go into too many details here about how divorce was dealt with in our childhoods, just let me say that it wasn't pleasant for either one of us. Emotions ran high, blame was thrown at each other, and feelings were hurt for many years. That is what we both experienced and that formed our knowledge basis of what was "normal" with divorce.

Before the MOVE from the house to the apartment, we were around the divorcing couple and their sweet little boy. Helpfulness, attentiveness and kindness were abundantly in evidence. The soon to be divorced couple worked as a cohesive couple, which confused us.

As the weeks have passed confusion keeps clouding my thinking. Why could this couple work together to break up and not work together to stay as a couple? No ugly words; no rolling of eyes when help was requested; no impatiences shown by either one; and the list continues.

Throughout all of this I redirect my mind to the one goal that we have all pledged to honor: The Grandlove deserves to have the very best life possible.

New times, new way of dealing with the age old problem: Divorce while keeping the spotlight of love still shining on the precious child.