Being a Grandma vs. Being a Mother

There is a statement somewhere that says basically if I had been a grandmother first I would have been a different mother to my children (that is not verbatim, I may even have the whole thing twisted, but bare with me). When I was busily raising our five children, there was never time to just sit, relax, and enjoy. Eric was never home between work and church callings, and most parental responsibilities were left to me. Let me just say here, that I would never complain about a husband who not only had a full time job but basically had another full time job in serving the Lord. Our family has been tremendously blessed by Eric's service to the Lord.

When we are mothers, our lives seem to be in one revolving circle of get the kids awake, get them fed, get them ready for school, take care of those still at home, serve in the PTA, be a homeroom mom, pick them up from school (after running numerous errands with those still at home), soccer, dance, scouts, homework, dinner, baths, stories to be read, prayers to be said, and then off to bed they go. Let me say hear that I truly enjoyed and continue to enjoy being a mother. There is no other calling in life that fulfills you with joy, fulfillment, laughter, and yes some tears. If I had to do it over again, after learning the joys of being a grandmother, I would have done things differently. When the children wanted to play or be held or tickled, I would have stopped what I was doing and said, "The laundry can wait as can the dishes and vacuuming". I would have treasured the moment to just drop everything of unimportance and spent the time cuddling, laughing, reading, and playing .

I remember when our first grandchildren were born. People told me that there would be nothing in this life to compare to being a grandma. Little did I know how true that statement would become in my life. When they needed cuddling or maybe they were asleep and really didn't need cuddling, everything in my world stopped; and I held them and cuddled them as long as I wanted telling the rest of the world to go away and I would be there another day.

As time has passed and more grandchildren have been added to our family, I am even more willing to give up the mundane goings on of the day (dishes, laundry, cleaning) to spend time on the couch cuddling, reading or sitting on the floor playing Littlest Pet Shop, watching a movie that I have seen a zillion times, or text messaging my granddaughters to keep in touch.

Time passes by so quickly. I can't go back in time and raise my children over again. I hope they forgive me, a simple girl who didn't know what she was doing as a new mom and even as an experienced mom. My priorities have changed in life, and the cleaning and the mopping and the chores are no longer high on the list when I can spend time soaking in the sweetness and innocence of my grandchildren.

I thank my Heavenly Father for a wonderful family and the opportunity to nurture my children to the best of my know how. His guidance and teachings are what got me through back in the day and also get me through this time of my life. Being a grandma vs. being a mom? It is a treasure that you will only come to know the minute your child lays his/her child in your arms. Thank you dear children of mine for blessing me with 8 of the most treasured blessings of my life.