Getting along every day - day by day!

When I knew that I would be taking care of Harry and Dawn's children while they spent a week in Ireland over spring break, I thought about the best way to prepare. Several thoughts occurred to me: get lots of rest beforehand (ha, ha! I NEVER get enough rest!), clear the calendar of all conflicts, get caught up on Easter gifts and cards, birthday gifts and cards beforehand, stock the larder, keep ahead on the laundry - you follow my drift.

Believe it or not, I actually did most of the above. But a funny thing happened - life goes on, even if you are trying to slow it down or stop it for a week!

Family came to visit - and who wants to miss that? General conference was that weekend - that's one I am going to have to catch up on next week - maybe when Harry 's in Boston. (Although, I had the thought, "I have sat here and watched several years worth of uninterrupted conference sessions - and the one time someone I know gets called to an auxiliary position, I wasn't on board! I found out about it when my girls started texting across the country to see if there was more than one Linda Sheffield Reeves! So I thought I'd sit down at the computer and pull it up on lds.org. And I did. And just as they were going to announce the new presidency, Harry W. hollered from the bathroom "Grandma, I need you to wipe my bum!" With kids, it needs to be late night if you don't want to be interrupted!!)

I ran into people I knew when I was out with the kids - so I should maybe be unfriendly?? I got phone calls about upcoming assignments. I ran out of groceries. I got requests for favors I wanted to do.

Like I said, life just keeps on keeping on - and there does not seem to be a cure for that. And I'm not sure a cure would even be advisable.

So I got a babysitter for each day - to stay with Isla and either Porter or Harry when I take Eve to gymnastics. Isla is sleeping then - and every fiber of my being rebels at waking up a napping child - and I can have some one on one time with either Porter or Harry after we drop off Eve. It's been lovely.

Now Eve wants a slot - and I think we can figure it out.

I may have this all squared away - and then Harry and Dawn will be home again!

Kind of like life.

The Grandma Summer

This has been a summer of grandmothering - and a very enjoyable one at that!! This week Esme and Annika were here for several days while Bonny went to Girls' Camp with Ara and Ella. So of course we went for manicures!!

The girls chose shades of teal, purple, and dark pink for their nails. (I contrast that with the way I always go for the palest shade of pink!!)

Flowers with a tiny jewel in the middle on the thumb nail were a big hit too.

I sensed that Porter and Harry W. were feeling a bit left out, so I took them to lunch at Wendy's. We had Uncle Noah come along - always lots of fun. I told Noah that I needed to come up with a male equivalent to manicures - and he suggested going for a barber shop shave - but acknowledged that I'd have to wait a few years for that to be a big hit!

Then there's the lovely Miss Isla - who is happy with a smile, a tickle, and "Tom Thumper, Bill Munker, Long Razor, Cherry Bumper. (Tippy, tippy, tippy, town end.)"

Since Esme and Annika are going home tomorrow, Eve joined us for a sleepover - here they are getting ready for the latest installment from Grandpa Bob.

I've never listened in on any of these - they are pretty much off the cuff though. Harry says that they will ask for a repeat of a previous one - but he can't remember the details after he's told them!!

I've reflected often on why I love being a grandmother so much. I was thinking that it's probably because I loved my own grandmothers, and also because my own children seem to love their grandmothers dearly. I certainly want to be in the company of those women!!

Ella comes next week for an early Grandma's Birthday Sleepover, then Eve, Porter, and Harry will be having them. And Calvin is coming this year on his birthday - so we will have to see about a shave and a haircut I guess!!

When the stars line up just right!!

I remember as a young mother - and even as a middle-aged mother - how I would plan the days so that I had time to myself. Most days it worked out pretty well. Some days everything went wrong.

But today, the stars were all lined up just right - Henry was at Cub Day Camp, Calvin was invited by the neighbors to go to the lake.

Agnes, who can sometimes "resist" her nap, fell asleep right after lunch. On the couch yes, but asleep, so who's complaining??

Baby Sully dozed off too - and so I sent Phoebe downstairs to take a nap. And I laid on the other couch and read!!

Just like the old days!!

Grandmothering

This is an old photo of me in 1977 when I was pregnant with Phoebe. I was 32 years old, and certainly I never imagined being 65 and having 14 grandchildren.

And here I am, 33 years later, spending my days and nights mothering Phoebe and grandmothering the others!

I love being a grandmother. It's much more satisfying and rewarding than I ever imagined it could be. I love my own children, and I enjoy being a mother. But somehow being a grandmother just pulls it all together and makes it all fit nicely.

As the numbers grew, I began to worry about the fact that I see some of my grandkids much more often than I do the others. I try to send cards, little gifts, letters. We have done some Skyping - but I think the adults enjoy that more than the kids do.

But two weeks ago, while we were at Matt and Eliza's, I noticed that Theo and Ida took to us quite readily. Eliza does try to keep pictures of us in front of them, talks about us, and generally does a good job of keeping us in the picture.

But I think what's at work is a cumulative effect. In other words, if you try to make the minutes count, they will. If you do your best to connect with the children, talk to them, play with them, spend time with them, it will register with them. Most importantly though, I believe it stays with them. And then the next time you come, you can start literally building the relationship from where you left off.

As I sat a dinner tonight and last night with Henry, Calvin, and Agnes, we were all very comfortable. The last time we were together was April, and before that it had been Christmas, but the transition seemed almost seamless.

Calvin did say, the morning after I arrived, "I wish your husband could have come." But I'm pretty sure that he knows my husband is his grandfather!!

It was comforting to figure this all out!!