All Or Nothing

One of the hardest things about living faraway from my grandchildren is not having them around on a regular basis. I miss knowing what their favorite snacks are, what they eat for breakfast, and what their regular routines are. I miss doing life together in hourly segments...an afternoon here, an evening there...meeting for lunch before nap time. All the ways you can connect in short increments of time.

Since my little people moved away I only see them when we've planned extended time together. And it usually happens a week at a time--all day, every day. It's exhausting since I'm not used to it, and that makes me sad.

The hardest thing when we have time together is entering their world fast and being fully engaged. I'm not used to the busyness of toddlers, the constant demands of children, the noise, the laughter, the fighting, but I want to be. Which makes me sad once again with the distance that separates us.

This Friday my daughter and her husband will be driving to our home so we can watch their four children while they go on a cruise to celebrate their 10th anniversary. (Can we just pause for a minute to celebrate the fact that we have a daughter who has been married for a decade? It blesses my heart to no end knowing that both my son and daughter are married to their best friend and that they want to continue to build their marriage for God's glory. What a miracle this is in this day and age, and something I never want to take for granted.) I'm so excited they get to come to my house. We can swim in our pool, go for walks around the block, color on the sidewalk and go out for lunch with Papa.

But first I have to get my house Stella-proof....

She is the curious one (almost 3) who never stops for a moment. I'm afraid there are many things in Nana's House that will be far too tempting for her to resist, so I must get on my knees and look at my home from her vantage point.

I'm slowly getting used to the All or Nothing aspect of being the Nana to seven (soon-to-be eight!) little people. It takes more effort to stay connected when we're far away, and even more effort to enjoy the connection when we're close. But I wouldn't change a thing! The blessing of these children in my life is incalculable no matter the miles that separate us.

How about you? How has this all or nothing aspect affected you and how have you dealt with it?