SOL 9/31: 9 3/4 years ago I became a Grandma!

I'm in a memoir writing group and this was our latest prompt:  

"Scroll back to your photos from 2016 and choose one image that catches your attention. No need to overthink it. 

I'll spare you the lengthy paragraph I wrote summing up all the important (according to me) events of the 2016 calendar year. I totally ignored the advice, "Don't overthink it." Can you tell that I'm an easily distracted writer? Back to my response to the image I ultimately chose.

Beginning in July 2016 I begin to travel more frequently. I make three, yes THREE trips to Virginia to visit Blake and Stefi in July, August, and October of that year because there is now a 3^rd person in their family. I proudly accept the crown as grandmother to my first grandchild, Theodore Faust Behnke, born June 22, 2016. It’s been a delightful almost ten years as grandmother to Teddy and five more grandchildren! I’ve always loved babies and was sad that my two grew up so fast. I looked forward to becoming a grandma from the time that my children married. I watched dear friends become grandparents and hoped to join their exclusive club someday. And in June 2016 it happened. 

 Here's the 2016 pic of Teddy (just a little over two weeks old) when we had our first meeting:

And here's a poem I wrote after we met:

Time for another day of
cuddling sweet Teddy, 
kissing his soft forehead, 
nuzzling the down on his head,

absorbing baby molecules,
capturing precious expressions,
observing my son in this new role as Dad,
celebrating the love of his sweet Mama,
murmuring sweet endearments,
taking turns with Grandpa,
singing tender lullabies, 

nuzzling the down on his head, 
kissing his soft forehead,
cuddling sweet Teddy, 
time to plan my next trip. 

What can I say about Teddy? He’s a mini-Blake! He’s a wonderful brother to his two younger sisters. He’s a natural born athlete (definitely not the Behnke genes). I remember watching him scooter around our driveway on Mercer Island with the ease of someone totally at home on wheels, even though he was barely two. I visited Utah the summer he mastered the bicycle and loved watching him fly around the park near his library. I love watching him play soccer, baseball, and basketball when I visit. He likes talking to me about books and spends a lot of time asking me about authors and titles. He has a wonderful sense of humor just like his dad. He knows how to work hard to reach a goal. He is a gentleman who loves opening the doors at church for anyone who needs help. He’s a friendly guy who loves people. His excitement when I come to visit always makes me feel right at home. His arrival prompted three visits to Virginia in 2016, he turned a family of two into a threesome and last night when I watched him play basketball, he made three baskets for his team. And most important of all, his arrival made me a grandma! 

And here's Teddy the night he made those three baskets during my visit:

 

This Grandma stage of my life is absolutely the best! And I think I finally understand why my mother used to say, "I know you kids will be okay, but I really wish I could stick around to watch the grands grow up." Somehow, I think she's watching over all of us!

 

 Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this challenge and providing the space and support for us year after year. And thanks to this magnificent community for sharing stories with me and encouraging my writing life.