I’m in love with a boy I haven’t yet met.
Two more weeks, maybe three, til I finally hold him in my arms and kiss him and kiss him and kiss him and kiss him.
Sigh.
I can’t wait.
I was stunned into a long silence when my barely 20-year-old daughter Christy told me she was pregnant. My mind was racing, but no words would form in my head, so I certainly couldn’t get them to come out of my mouth.
‘Mom? Are you still there??
I was driving down M-5 when she called, and I think I was near I-275 before my voice crept out of its hiding place.
I don’t remember what I said, but I remember the part of me that wanted to scold and lecture and say ‘How could you let this happen? All those talks we had, didn’t they mean anything? Why? How?
(OK, forget ‘how.? There are some things a mom just doesn’t need to hear).
But I didn’t say any of it. Because she didn’t need to hear it. She needed her mom, she needed love and support and she was going to get it.
I was still on the freeway when I told her I loved her and I would be there no matter what.
It wasn’t always that way. I learned’by example’how to scold and condemn and wag my finger at an early age, from parents who also learned it at an early age.
But, through a lot of hard work and some tough, tough lessons along the way, I was able to unlearn it.
Not perfectly, Christy will attest to that, but I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished.
Now, over the last eight months, I’ve learned even more.
For example, I can say ‘son-in-law? or ‘my daughter’s husband? in relation to Mark.
Mark’s a great guy, but, how did my little girl get a husband, for pete sake?
Life doesn’t dawdle, that’s for sure.
And, I can now say the word ‘grandma? in relation to myself. That took some doing.
Yikes. Grandma?
Yeah. Grandma.
My little girl’s all grown up into a beautiful woman. Raising a baby won’t be easy, and I know they’ll struggle at times.
But she’s happy and she’s healthy and that’s what’s important.
College can wait, a career can wait. She’ll get there, just like she got through other tough times in her young life. The girl can do anything’and I mean anything’she sets her mind to.
We were out shopping for baby stuff recently, and Christy trained her young, yet discerning eye on a bassinet we were considering.
‘I don’t like this one,? she said. ‘It seems like it would tip over.?
She’s a mom already.
Then, a few weeks ago, instant message popped onto my computer screen here in the office.
‘Mom,? said the box, ‘do you want to see something cute??
‘Sure,? I said. Who am I to pass up something cute?
Before I knew it, I was looking at, well, some hazy purplish shapes that turned out to be the latest, and final ultrasound.
‘That’s his face,? said my daughter from inside the box.
‘I don’t see it,? I typed back.
I squinted at the computer screen. I got real close, I backed up, then just stared, waiting for it to jump out at me.
Nothing, just frustration. I wanted to see that boy’s face.
‘Which way’s he looking?? I asked the box.
‘Right at the thing, Mom!?
Apparently I wasn’t the only one getting frustrated.
I picked up my laptop and held it sideways, like a book.
Oh?.my?.God.
There he was, plain as the nose on his own cute face.
My grandson.
I shrieked, then oohhed and ahhed into the box for about 5 minutes.
‘I’m such a proud Momma,? said the box.
My heart swelled with happiness and love.
‘Yeah,? I typed back. ‘Me too.?