Dynamic Duo

It's been an interesting week.  Rick is out of town at meetings, and my Mom is here for moral support.  Mom is in shooting distance of retirement.  I think this week she is test driving how involved she wants to be as a grandmother.  I can tell you, it is a change of pace for her.  I can also tell you I'm going to miss her when she heads back home, big time.

Someone made the offhand comment to me today that I didn't have all these kids so that my Mom could take care of them, or something to that effect.  I've been thinking about that.  No, obviously I didn't have nine children so that I could bless my parents and in-laws with a ton of work.  But in some way these are their children as well.  My Mom had to reprimand one of the children today.  She stomped off in a huff, and Mom commented that it is good for her to hear correction from her grandmother.  Amen!  It has also been a wonderful blessing to have an "at home" mom and a "traveling" mom.  We are making a dynamic duo.  The kids are benefiting from this team approach.

I am very grateful for the time that my kids do get to spend with their grandparents.  I would love to have more time with them.  They have insight into my children that I don't have.  They are enough removed that they can see blind spots that I miss.  They can also empathize with things that I have trouble with.  I often wish they had more time with them on a daily basis.  My parents have gifts and abilities that I don't have.  I just think they would add a richness, and stability that we lack without them.  I do realize that we would be a lot of work as well.  With every blessing there seems to be a corresponding curse.  I see very few retirement adds with small children playing on the beach with their grandparents, or cruising in their two seat convertible.  It makes me sad. 

My parents, thankfully, have been wonderful about spending time with their grandchildren.  This has been a wonderful blessing for my kids.  They have learned so much from hiking and camping with grandpa, traveling with grandma, and gardening with everyone.  I hope that at the end of the week, when Mom is back at home enjoying some much needed rest, that she feels as blessed by her visit as we do.