Monday, March 17, 2008

All That Matters


As long as I can remember I have wanted to be a grandmother. I waited, and waited and waited for almost 10 years after my son John Vincent , who is a great kid, got married to a wonderful girl by the name of Sarah. It was a long wait and I kept my fingers crossed and hoped it would happen...sooner than later.
I must admit that I made it clear to the kids and anyone else who would listen that I wanted to be a grandmother....NOW.....! In hindsight I was probably a real PITA (pain in the ass)and I think John V. and Sarah could have cheerfully strangled me on more than one occasion. It would have justifiable homicide to be sure.
So when the kids gave us a pink card that had a picture of baby feet on the front and "Congratulations"" on the inside I was sooooo excited.
After what seemed to be a long time later, we went to China with the kids and we were lucky to be there when their new daughter, Neve, was presented to them.
It was more than just exciing. It was a dream come true.
I was so happy when I held our Neve for the first time. She didn't say anything and I didn't say anything. I was content just to hold her and smile and she was content just to be held.
We understood each other then and we still do now.
I have gone through two names during this whole process. I started out as gramma. I am now and think I will remain as ...grammie. This last title was Neve's choice. I don't know why or how she came up with it but it fits me and Neve likes it.
I am, I think, a good grammie. I hope that my "cutie-patootie" Neve, thinks of me and will remember me, in the same fond way that I think of and remember my own "Grams".
I tend to be the strict one with our little three year old granddaughter.
I say "NO" more often than her beloved papa,and my husband John, does.
John doesn't work on Fridays, oh the joys of owning your own business, and he babysits Neve on the last day of every week. He has done this since she has been a baby. He simply adores her and boy, does she know it. Talk about being wrapped around her little finger.
John is more likly to turn a blind eye to the little things. She is his "sunshine pal". It is a very exclusive position.
I, on the other-hand, tend to see everything and am quicker to say NO, STOP or DON'T. In Neve's words, "Grammie is mean."
Oh well, somebody has to be the bad guy and I have big shoulders.
Neve doesn't always like me, and that's ok because I know that she always loves me. We have an agreement, Neve and I, she can be mad at me and not like me as much as she wants, but her and I will always love each other, forever and for always, no matter what.
She is my "cutie-patootie" and I am her grammie.
And that's all that matters.

2 comments:

tanzi said...

I love your blog--you truly understand the power of words and use them well!

I'm so happy to be able to read your posts. I always look up to you and Mr. S and your strong sense marriage and family. You give me hope.
Oh yeah, and your daughter is kinda cool, too...

Isn't it funny how children often are the ones who make the rules for us? It seems that "Grammie" was the right name for you all along...Neve knew it. :)

xxx
Welcome to cyberspace!

Lois said...

Thanks for the comment Tanya.
You are right when you say how children are the ones who make the rules. If only the powers that be could rule the powerful countries with a childs thinking, we would all be friends and sit down and have tea together.