Grandparents

Growing up, I knew that I had wonderful parents. I always felt loved. Of course there were many times when I would argue with them and slam my bedroom door. There were definitely growing pains but I knew that they were always there for me and that they loved me a lot.

It was not until I had my own children that I realized just how immense a parent's love is for their child. Now I understand. I get it. These little people are the most important part of your world. Parenting is intense, constant, exhausting and often all-consuming. Everyone does it a little bit different but ultimately, to parent is to love.

Sounds simple enough. But it isn't simple. There are so many mistakes to make along the way...like being too hard on your eldest child and letting your dimpled wonder get away with everything... So you try to learn from your mistakes. Be smarter. Be stronger. Have patience. Give grace. Then if you do your job right, after about twenty years of parenting in the trenches, your children become self-sufficient and start to branch out on their own. After nearly two decades of love by trial and error your parenting skills have been honed into sharp tools of on-the-fly negotiation, picking your battles, endless patience, and enjoying the moments. You are older and wiser and somehow you have all the makings of ...a grandparent!

My parents are the type of grandparents you read about in story books. "Poppa" teaches life skills like how to read scrabble tiles and how to throw a ball...

Gramma always has time for books, puzzles, and play-dough...she is a fountain of patience.

Needless to say: a trip to G&G's is always at the top of R&B's To-Do list...

They know how lucky they are to have such special grandparents. And I am reminded again about how wonderful my parents are. But it should be no surprise because I also had devoted grandparents who loved me endlessly. There is something very special about the way grandparents love their grandchildren and I am so grateful that my children have that privilege. Cheers to grandparents!