Mary Ann Hayes

It’s been a while since the kids left home. We were ready to be a couple again, to do our own thing and call an end to the never ceasing parental duties. Yet, we were surprised at how easily we adjusted to our empty-nest. I think it took all of fifteen minutes.

Seven years have gone by since the last one struck out on his own and although we’ve been having a great time we’ve recently felt that something was missing. Or maybe not something, more like someone.  Could it be….well, yes, we have to admit…we’ve been missing the kids. A bit of soul searching opened out eyes to the fact that what we were really ready for, was grand-parenting!

On Thanksgiving, our son and daughter-in-law announced they had an early Christmas gift for us to open. The package was small and light. We opened it to find a very pretty picture frame with an amazing ultrasound photograph of our very first grand child. It’s a boy!

I can’t explain how happy I’ve been since the news. I can hardly wait to hold him, rock for hours with him snuggled in my arms, feel the soft fuzzy head under my chin, and smell the sweet angelic smell that only newborns have. Babies are pure magic!

Being a grandparent must be the best. Just think: having a baby without the responsibilities of having a baby! Could it get any better?  I heard a saying that having grand-kids is the reward we get for not killing our kids. Amen! There were times…of course, there is an unwritten rule that with all the bad comes the gift of many many goods. This is a major good. In fact, it might be the ultimate.

So, I guess I’ll take a quilting class. Can’t be a proper grandmother without spending hours and hours on lovely quilts. And I guess I should find a little portable crib thingy for when they come to visit. I have a lot of research to do. Things have changed quite a bit in the twenty eight years since my last baby was born. This is going to be so much fun!

Later,

Mary Ann