From Young Mama to "Old" Grandma

My birthday's coming up; and I'm getting nostalgic, I suppose. Have been thinking about our four kids - spread out all over the country now, with kids of their own (three of them, anyway).

And maybe it's the rainy weather today making me think back when our kids were little - because this is the average-type weather they grew up in, in Algrange, France (we were missionaries in France, with Evangelical Baptist Mission for sixteen years). Up in the Lorraine area of France - summers were pretty nice - but the rest of the time was pretty rainy and foggy. :( Winters and autumns would find the old sun sneaking out every now and then - mostly for five to ten minutes at a time ..... when it did, you would poke your head out the window (there were no screens) to soak up a little of the sunshine. When you looked up and down the street, from your window, you would see lots of other heads bobbing up and down from their windows, also trying to soak up a little sun. Then, quite suddenly usually, the sun disappeared, you pulled your head back in, and shut the window. Hoping for another sunny five or ten minutes SOON. :)

I ran across this photo this morning, which just added to my nostalgia. I am a young mama with our second child, Bekah, in the photo. I guess I was still twenty-eight in this photo; no, I think 29. This baby turned 35 in July of this past summer and has three "babies" of her own now; her oldest about to turn eleven.

I will turn sixty-four in a week or so. Not possible, I'm thinking! How can it be?! Back then, at 28, 29 ..... I would listen and smile when the "older" ones told me to "enjoy them now, as they grow up so fast". Well, there were certainly SOME days that I sure WISHED they were gonna "grow up fast". But, I never really believed that they would. And, most days, didn't want them to. But they have. Grown up fast. Finished college. Left home, Married. Had kids. Have careers. Live far away. Now, at almost sixty-four, I am one of those saying, "enjoy them now, 'cause they sure do grow up fast." And I can tell when the young mamas are smiling that "certain" little smile, and thinking, "boy, there are some days I sure wish they would!" But, like me back then, not believing they really will. Not truly knowing they have so little time. So little time. Where did all that time disappear to?

I find myself looking at our eight grandchildren in amazement. Such cute, sweet babies they were, all of them. But, when did they get so big?! In my nostalgic mood this morning, I'm remembering again the "enjoy them, they grow up so fast". Even grandchildren do. And you notice it even more when they don't live close to you, and you rarely see them in person. But we are blessed nowadays with technology that enables us to "see" them on the internet, the web cam, hear them, talk to them. That helps. :)

The other side of this nostalgic thinking is that "I'm getting old!" And beginning to hear from our kids things like, "Mom, you and Dad aren't as young as you used to be" (DUH!) ..... "now just be careful, you guys" ..... "you have to be careful what you eat, you could have a heart attack", etc., etc., etc. We've even heard, "Mom! Where were you guys? I've been calling and calling and nobody answered (we were out). You should have called and told me if you were going to be gone!" I guess we can be grateful we are at least thought of - even if we might think we aren't yet so old that we can't take care of ourselves, or be gone for an evening without telling the adult kids. :) But when the 64th birthday is looming, I'm thinking..........just THINKING...........that maybe I really AM "old"! Wow! How did I get from "young mama" to "old grandma" so SOON???!!!

However, I need to brush away the nostalgia of the moment.....quit worrying about turning 64.....and, instead, thank God that I AM sixty-four. Because, as I told a YOUNG friend this week, who just turned 40 and was lamenting that SHE was "getting old"..........".accept it and be grateful, 'cause if you aren't having a birthday and getting another year older, then you just AREN'T period!" :) Thank You, Lord, that I AM still. I will be old and be grateful. :)