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Wednesday, July 8, 2015

After They've Gone


Our house "full" is now our house "empty." It is eeriely quiet here. And still. I'm taking a few minutes to think back over the last seven weeks.

For weeks, I washed, wiped, read, tucked, chased, soothed, corralled, consoled, entertained, played, bathed, sang, cooked, fed, dressed, changed, held, reached, handed, mediated, rocked, wrangled, and explained. (Have you ever tried to explain to someone what a ditch is when you are not standing by one so that you can point to it? Little Sister asked the question. She's four. That didn't make it any easier.)

We have picked up most of the toys. We are still looking for two dominoes, the "wife" in the vintage Fisher Price farm set, and a couple of toy eggs. I can't imagine where they could be. But while we've looked, we did find a few other things that we thought were lost forever. Maybe the farm wife will show up soon.

How are we now that it is just the two of us here?

It is nice not to step on Lego pieces with my bare feet.

I can sit down now. 

I don't miss the dirty diapers.

I don't miss cleaning up all the food in the floor under the high chair.

I really don't miss the 8:00 PM screamfest that happened most nights. Those two little girls had a great time chasing each other and shrieking in that high shrill voice only little girls can produce. They might catch each other and tumble around for a while. Then after about 15 minutes, it was over. They were having a ball. I wasn't.

I do miss hearing those feet coming down the hall—bap bap bap bap bap bap—and seeing that curly headed little girl climb up into Daddy-O's lap for a hug and snuggle first thing every morning.

I miss the sweet smell of a freshly bathed baby still wrapped in her towel.

I miss the bedtime stories. Even the ones I read over and over. And I miss Little Sister reading to me at bedtime. "Spot can jump. Jump, Spot, jump."

I miss the random hugs during the day from Little Sister followed by, "I love you, Mimi."

I miss rocking Baby Girl to sleep.

I miss hearing Little Sister sing the blessing at each meal.

I might even miss watching Peppa Pig.

I am more fit than I was. I got quite a workout from lifting Baby Girl and carrying her around many times a day. That, and stepping over all of the baby gates, often with Baby Girl in my arms. I should keep it up. (Well, not the stepping over gates part, but I should do something.)

We are excited that they are so much closer to us now. Still in a different state, but it a state that borders our own. We hope that we helped by keeping the girls here while they unpacked at the new house. Can't wait to go see them. After we've rested a little.




8 comments:

  1. Sounds like those weeks were exhausting and wonderful. And I'm sure a huge help!

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    1. You said it just right....exhausting and wonderful. :-)

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  2. Oh . . . what a wonderful combination of true grandmother thoughts after spending so much time with your grandchildren. Hey, the ditch question without a ditch sounds as hard as "What's God's last name?" I'm happy they are not too far away from you now. Enjoy your rest. You'll need it for when I pack my car and head your way! I saw that invite! ;-)

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    1. Thankfully, I didn't get the "God's last name" question!

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  3. You expressed a grandma's heart so beautifully.

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    1. Thank you, Robin. I know you understand completely.

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  4. Can I call your attention to my book, Celebrating Grandmothers: grandmothers talk about their lives, which sets out the inner thoughts of 27 very different grandmothers about being a grandmother. Many are very happy, of course, but some talk of their pain in not seeing their grandchildren due to sheer distance or difficult family relationships. The book describes the love, the worrying, the problems of giving advice to one’s children, the role of grandmothers in the family, the changes in family relationships and much more. It is a paperback (available on Amazon and through bookshops) and an e-book. Well reviewed. See www.celebratinggrandmothers.info for more information and free sample chapters.

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    1. I will check it out. Thank you for letting me know about it.

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Hi, y'all! I love that you've taken time to tell me something here. Makes me feel like we're neighbors.