Grandparenting!

9 years ago our son brought home a precious little baby girl. Little did we know at that time we would melt when she called our names, her smile would light up the room when we walked in. She would want to spend nights upon end with us. She would look at us with wonder and amazement while we told her stories. We used to take walks exploring and always curb walking our way back home (you know like Leave it to Beaver did while walking home from school with Wally). Shopping with her as a 2-4 year old was often a challenge as she had a mind of her own at a very young age, but when we couldn't decide on one specific thing she would always tell me, Cappy says we could have both! And usually this is what we would do. We became a little child like ourselves playing with her over the years. Now we SKYPE with her. She sees us online and calls us. She is amazed at how this works and thrilled that see can see us while she talks with us being around the world in Germany. We have toured our home with her via SKYPE; of course this is not the same as being here in person, but when she does come she will see it is very much like the Greenview in many ways because our furniture (the furniture she grew up with) and things are here but this is not what will make her feel at home, it is the love we have for this child that will make her feel at home in Germany when she comes to visit!



Now we are expecting a new grandchild. In the fall our youngest son and his wife will be blessed with a child. We wont get to be there for this child like we were for the first grandchild. It makes my heart hurt to think that we will not get to see this precious addition to their family on a regular basis. We wont get to forge the same kind of bond with this child at an early age, but we will definitely try! Of course I am already looking at all the baby things when we go shopping but am holding off until we know if it will be a girl or a boy. We will be going back to Oklahoma for the birth (or shortly there after) and we plan to go for a visit at Christmas. And then we will have to try for weekly SKYPE sessions with the baby (and parents) but this just wont do. It will make our stay in Germany bitter sweet, know this little one is growing up not getting to know the in person touch and feel of Nana and Cappy.


I know with our mobile society grandparents have adjusted and many do not see their grandchildren even yearly, but having both sets of our grandparents in Oklahoma most if not all our lives and the same with our children's grandparents especially being in the same metro area all their lives, we will definitely have some major adjusting to do. I don't ever think I will get used to it but I will try and make the best of it for the short time we are in Germany. But this Oklahoma girl thinks she might just land back in the OKC metro area and be there forever more...