After over a year hiatus from blog writing, I think I might be getting my groove back. In this second entry in a week, I will explain what took me so long.
In October, 2017, my daughter gave birth to our first grandbaby, Jacob. In retrospect, I see how I utterly failed to comprehend just how strongly this little darlin' (as they say in the south), and the role I was destined to play as his grandmother, would change my life forever.
I used to listen, a bit skeptically, to other grandparents gush over their grandbabies and I'd think to myself , OK, sweet, but aren't they "going a little overboard". Of course there is nothing like experience to humbly change one's perspective forever. I admit, I am worse than any gushing, dribbling grandparent I have ever met. My heart has turned to mush and I am certain there is no turning back.
Of course upon realizing after Jacob's birth that we had hopelessly fallen in love with this little eating, pooping, sucking, crying machine, and couldn't possibly live without him, my husband and I decided without further notice to up and move to Michigan where my daughter and son-in-law's careers had recently taken them.
With no other explanation than this, we uprooted 31 years of living in Virginia which included our home, job, and community of friends. I'm sure there must have been a friend or two who thought we were "going a little overboard". Karma has way of coming round.
I don't recall being a parent for the first time in quite the same way as being a grandparent, probably because the shock of parenthood brings with it an overwhelming sense of responsibility which puts a damper on the highs. Also, it's almost impossible to be ecstatic when you are suffering from chronic sleep deprivation and your body image and hormones have plummeted to new lows. You fear you will never be the same again. And you're right.
Needless to say, these major life changes have taken up the majority of my waking hours for many months. Yet, the changes have all been surprisingly wonderful. We love living in Ann Arbor and adore watching Jacob grow. Of course this post wouldn't be complete without including a million photographs!
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