This Must Be What Heaven Looks Like

 

                 

This must be what heaven looks like.  I must say that I love my children.  The ones I gave birth to and the ones that I got through love. 

I started out with Tripp.  I didn’t think I could ever love anyone or anything as much as I loved that little boy.  Then, Holly came into my life and I found out that a mother’s heart just expands.  I never loved Tripp less – but I found that I loved Holly just as much.  When I was blessed with Jenna, my heart expanded more and the love grew for that child, too.  Then Tripp married sweet Nikki and I found that my heart grew through the love of my son.  Holly found Andrew and our family grew in love through him. 

A couple of years ago, I fell in love (that’s another story in itself).  For now, just let me say that with that love came another son and daughter who I love as my very own.  I loved Brad and Marian from the first time I met them and am so thankful that they have accepted me into their family.

I am very blessed to say that in the past 2 ½ years my heart has expanded from the love of a mother for 3 children to the pure love of 7 children.  Not a day passes that I don’t thank God for each one of them.   

I always heard folks say that there is nothing like grandchildren.  I always smiled and thought that I couldn’t possibly love anyone as much as I love my children.  (Sound familiar?  I think I had thought that about 40 years ago.)

Well, with Brad and Marian came three beautiful, wonderful, precious, adorable, priceless, loving (get the point?) little girls that I consider my granddaughters.  In March, Holly gave birth to a beautiful, wonderful, precious, adorable, priceless, loving…little boy who is my first grandson.  And guess what I have found out?  THERE IS NOTHING LIKE GRANDCHILDREN!!!!!

I think that grandchildren are God’s reward to us for the years of worry and stress that came with the growing pains of watching our children grow independent.  This is our reward for years of caring for sick babies, trying to juggle the schedules of work and parenting at the same time, sleepless nights, comforting children through heartaches and heartbreaks, growing pains,  buying clothes for children who grew faster than our paychecks, helping with homework, carpooling, dance lessons, ball practice, worries about safety… on and on and on!!!!  Well, I found the reward that God provides – it is indeed, Grandchildren!

There’s nothing like having little faces that break out in huge smiles when you walk to the door… nothing like little girls jumping up and down when they see you because they can’t hold their excitement that you are (finally) there… nothing like a running leap into your arms… nothing like a hug that doesn’t let go… nothing like a little one climbing up on your lap to hear a story or cuddle before a nap… nothing like playing “pretend”… nothing like being the “Honey”…

There’s nothing like your child placing his or her child in your arms for the first time and watching your face for your reaction to your grandchild… nothing like sharing memories of your child when he or she was a baby… nothing like seeing a part of your babies – and of yourself in your grandchild… nothing like sharing tips that your mother shared with you when your child was born…

Well, there’s just nothing like being a grandparent!  I don’t know what else to say!  There’s nothing like watching your future... nothing like having all the fun and letting mommy and daddy take care of the other stuff.  Oh yes, this must, indeed, be what heaven looks like!!!!!



Lord, sometimes there is just nothing more to say than Thank You.  And to wonder how anyone can look into the face of a child and not see you.  Thank you, Lord, for the smiles and hugs and laughter of each child.  Hold these beautiful children in your loving arms every day.  And hold their parents tight, too, Lord... until they get through parenthood and find the joys of grandparenting.  Amen.