I never used to look at a month and say I hate this particular month. I have never dreaded any time of the year because it had such unpleasant memories. However, this year I dreaded the month of July and almost had a foreboding feeling of doom to come.
Right on the first date of July I received news that my eldest sister Savior had been admitted to hospital after enduring a stroke. I had an impeding feeling because like many people have always told me the previous day I had been thinking about her all day long. I had bought her a dress and was wondering how I could ship it to her. Most times it is difficult because buying the dress is really cheapest part but the shipping is triple the cost of the dress. In that instance it defeats the purpose. The news of her being admitted in hospital devastated me. For some time I had this image of going home and having one more opportunity of reuniting all my siblings, nephews, and nieces and their children together in happier times. I have always pictured us having one huge family portrait . I started to wonder whether by the time I would have lost one of my siblings, and once again I would not be able to accompany her on her final journey home.
It was not at all surprising when my nephew went to the hospital and found that she was on oxygen. He is young and he thought probably it was negligence from the hospital but I prepared him for the worst. While my sane side told me the near was pending but other optimistic side was praying hard that what I was telling my nephew would not come to be. My prayers were in vain. Approximately three hours after that my sister passed away. I was devastated. I was alone, my home was closing on me, I could not breathe, I felt my own vulnerability, I was scared for myself than my sister because she had escaped this painful world.
I almost had a feeling before she was struck by the stroke my sister if could, she would have called me and we could have had our farewells. As it turns out my sister was hard of hearing and she had no speech, so even is she had thought of me, in her final hours, she could not have called me. I felt so bad I had not asked after her in a long time. Somehow, I have this connection with people before they pass on that I am almost afraid to admit to myself let alone reveal to my family and friends. In that moment and at that particular time I wanted to be home and to be with my siblings and family members more than ever.
I tried to go the bank and while driving I could not figure out where I was or where I was going. I was in shock, and I pulled to the side. I had a good cry all by myself. I needed to do that before I could pretend all was in order no I was hurting because I would never see my sister again. After about 30 minutes by the side of the road the cry cleared my mind a little. I was able to drive. I needed to sent money to help defray the funeral expenses.
I lost my dad on July 9 2005. I was home, I was able to share his journey to the end. However, I lost my younger brother Fortunate exactly two year late on the same date. Unfortunately I was not able to go home and accompany him on his final journey home destroys my heart even today five years later.
On July 21, I lost my niece Nyarai. The news was through a chat with my nephew Basil. I could not believe because I had not heard about her illness. The thing that got me the most is that she died in her sleep. Honestly Nyarai was eldest brother's daughter, and she was a free spirit. I still picture her and all my interactions with her all I recall are her smiles. Why do good people die young?
The blessing that I have in the month of July s that my youngest daughter Trish was born on July 24. I love and hate the month of July. Love it because I was given one of my most precious gifts, my youngest daughter who has given me so much joy. Hate it because so many of my loved ones were promoted to glory in the same month. I will not dread the coming of July as I know I have memories of my loved ones to celebrate. I have been blessed to have been enriched by their time in this world. May their souls rest in peace and may I continue to have more blessings like Trish, Thandiwe, Sheona, Sheilla, and Entashia, all were born in July. I have a mixed bag of blessings in the month of July.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Happy Earth Day
I grew up working the land for all the food I ate. I was taught that I had to feed the land so that it would be able to feed me too. I remember early on people would build ridges along the edges of their fields and as a child I could never understand why. Later I learned that they did it so that all the top rich soil would not be washed always by the rains. It was hard work as people used their bare hands and there were not tractors then. I used to think if we had to work had to conserve the soil I would have preferred not eating at all. To me that appeared to be one of the most stupid things that adults did, because I did not know better. Now that I am grown up and I know the importance of prevention of soil erosion I appreciate those early childhood lessons and the added physical labor that my ancestors engaged in to conserve the soil.
We would also cut grass to thatch our homes, and my grandmother would always remind us not to cut all the grass so that it would cover the soil. Those were important lessons in conservation that I did not need any lessons from school. She told us not to start wildfires as they would destroy the habitat of many insects and animals. There was no real understanding of the ecosystem but those were my first lessons in the need to preserve and conserve our natural resources. Firewood was one of those issues we were always so short of. As a result many trees were cut down and there were no replacements. But as we grew up we were taught to plant a tree a year to replace the ones we had lost. I remember one year we planted gum trees behind my mother's home. Those gum trees are now saving as a windbreak for our homestead and now giving us the necessary firewood for cooking.
Now more than fifty years from my childhood, I am living in the USA. Today happens to be Earth Day and I decided to make sure I took care of the outside of my duplex where I live. Guess what I needed, GLOVES, so that I would not make my hands dirty and mess up my manicure. I miss the feel of the soil and the sand as trickles down between my fingers. I miss the smell of the earth especially after it has rained. I wished I could just take the soil and eat it that was how good the smell was to me. Sometimes of course we did. We looked for the soft sand and just munched on it. It tasted as earthy as you could expect it to be.
Working in my little garden, raking away some leaves from last fall, planting flowers, pruning some of the bushes, in my glove covered hands, connected my soul to mother earth again. That hour I spent outside took my mind back to my child hood when I was taught to care for the earth so that it would take care of me. I hope each one of you in your little corners of the world today you did a little good to Mother Earth as one good turn deserves another.
We would also cut grass to thatch our homes, and my grandmother would always remind us not to cut all the grass so that it would cover the soil. Those were important lessons in conservation that I did not need any lessons from school. She told us not to start wildfires as they would destroy the habitat of many insects and animals. There was no real understanding of the ecosystem but those were my first lessons in the need to preserve and conserve our natural resources. Firewood was one of those issues we were always so short of. As a result many trees were cut down and there were no replacements. But as we grew up we were taught to plant a tree a year to replace the ones we had lost. I remember one year we planted gum trees behind my mother's home. Those gum trees are now saving as a windbreak for our homestead and now giving us the necessary firewood for cooking.
Now more than fifty years from my childhood, I am living in the USA. Today happens to be Earth Day and I decided to make sure I took care of the outside of my duplex where I live. Guess what I needed, GLOVES, so that I would not make my hands dirty and mess up my manicure. I miss the feel of the soil and the sand as trickles down between my fingers. I miss the smell of the earth especially after it has rained. I wished I could just take the soil and eat it that was how good the smell was to me. Sometimes of course we did. We looked for the soft sand and just munched on it. It tasted as earthy as you could expect it to be.
Working in my little garden, raking away some leaves from last fall, planting flowers, pruning some of the bushes, in my glove covered hands, connected my soul to mother earth again. That hour I spent outside took my mind back to my child hood when I was taught to care for the earth so that it would take care of me. I hope each one of you in your little corners of the world today you did a little good to Mother Earth as one good turn deserves another.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
As time goes by
Yesterday I responded to a Facebook posting from a young man I last saw more than 12 years ago. I knew his name, one of many I taught in primary school. What he said in the end touched my heart. That he would never forget me because I taught him all those years back when I was a school principal.
Isn't it amazing that we touch lives and then we move on. Sometimes we even forget how many young lives we have touched and in what way. This young man just does not know how lowly I was feeling and how his kind words just lifted my spirits and made me realize why sometimes I feel that I do not have to give up.
I may not get the satisfaction today of how I know I can change people's lives, and it may not be tomorrow, but I know in more than one way that it will come with time and for some of them it will come with time as well. I have made a difference in many people's lives and this I know. My greatest wish is I will continue to touch people's lives in a positive way.
Isn't it amazing that we touch lives and then we move on. Sometimes we even forget how many young lives we have touched and in what way. This young man just does not know how lowly I was feeling and how his kind words just lifted my spirits and made me realize why sometimes I feel that I do not have to give up.
I may not get the satisfaction today of how I know I can change people's lives, and it may not be tomorrow, but I know in more than one way that it will come with time and for some of them it will come with time as well. I have made a difference in many people's lives and this I know. My greatest wish is I will continue to touch people's lives in a positive way.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Time Goes By too Fast
I cannot believe it has been this long since I last posted something onto my blog. It is not only a source of inspiration but a way of getting back into my own when I feel things are overwhelming me. I feel like I am most sane when I am putting my feeling down. Sometimes the world zooms by too fast and I can hardly cope. I have enjoyed the peaceful minutes I spend with myself on this blog because they help me put things into the right perspective. Sometimes I feel too lonely but when I am here I do not need anyone but my mind. I reflect, I meditate, I cogitate, and I straighten my jumbled thought and at the end I feel better.
Thursday February 23 started like any one of my ordinary days only it ended with me questioning my own commitment to keeping myself healthy. Last evening February 22 I had a class on health management. One of the things we discussed was how hard it is to get people to change their health behavior and live healthy lifestyles. I am all for incentives that people can enjoy from their health carriers or employers to motivate them to be healthy, but sometimes the extrinsic motivators do not actually help as such it is the intrinsic motivators that induce people to live healthy life styles. Though yesterday my provider told me of the implications of my high cholesterol nothing was new and i know exactly with my history of heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes, in my family the odds are against me. I need to change my life style, but what do I need to motivate me to change this life style that I am so comfortable with?
In May 2011 my cholesterol was high and I managed to control it, yesterday I was once more told my cholesterol was up again, I could not believe my ears. I knew the next thing my provider was going to tell me was to reduce my weight. I was resistant to the idea. I have so far maintained my weight at the same level from June last year to the present day. I lost more than 20 pounds by exercise and eating right. I have not indulged in animal flesh besides, fish but I know I have been more than a glutton when it comes to my cheese and peanut butter.
I love the grilled cheese sandwich, and I make excuses that it is a few of my main sources of protein. I also love my protein. Inwardly I am clinching as I bite each sandwich because I know I am having one too many. When I am lazy to cook what do I do? I just make my grilled cheese sandwich! Yes when I am tired it is no problem to make it and I do not have a sink full of dirty dishes at the end. Growing in Zimbabwe my main source of protein was peanut butter. I do not just use peanut but I relish it. I use it on my banana slices, my apple slices, my greens, my sandwiches and oh yes I can just lick teaspoonful of peanut butter. I feel like I am in heaven. I do not buy the little jars of peanut butter I buy the almost 2kg ones, of smooth and crunchy peanut butter both. I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER.
Like all things and all love relationships end, I know mine with peanut butter and cheese have to come to an end. Not just butter but also the peanuts. I can roast them in my micro wave, I can cook them and eat them as my main meal. I know now I have been over indulging in my peanut butter and peanuts intake and am so sad our relationship has to end. Yes last night you guessed right. I over indulged. I took yes three table spoons and just licked all the peanut but away until I fell asleep. I made my decision those were the last spoons of peanut butter I will ever lick. I gave up sour cream, I have given up pork, bacon, beef, ribs, oxtail, and all types of beef jerks. Last night made the hard decision that this relationship too HAS to END.
I value my health more. I will eat and use peanuts in a reasonable manner. I am not an addict and I can do without peanut butter and cheese. Peanut Butter I love you but I love my health better. Cheese I love you but not to the detriment of my health. Our relationship has to be healthy as such, I am making a conscious decision not to buy chips and all unhealthy snacks, I am making the same conscious decisions where you two are concerned. I am going to eat you in moderation. I am not going to abandon you but I am going to have to limit my intake of you. In the meantime I will have walnuts, almonds, pecans, and reasonably.
Thursday February 23 started like any one of my ordinary days only it ended with me questioning my own commitment to keeping myself healthy. Last evening February 22 I had a class on health management. One of the things we discussed was how hard it is to get people to change their health behavior and live healthy lifestyles. I am all for incentives that people can enjoy from their health carriers or employers to motivate them to be healthy, but sometimes the extrinsic motivators do not actually help as such it is the intrinsic motivators that induce people to live healthy life styles. Though yesterday my provider told me of the implications of my high cholesterol nothing was new and i know exactly with my history of heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes, in my family the odds are against me. I need to change my life style, but what do I need to motivate me to change this life style that I am so comfortable with?
In May 2011 my cholesterol was high and I managed to control it, yesterday I was once more told my cholesterol was up again, I could not believe my ears. I knew the next thing my provider was going to tell me was to reduce my weight. I was resistant to the idea. I have so far maintained my weight at the same level from June last year to the present day. I lost more than 20 pounds by exercise and eating right. I have not indulged in animal flesh besides, fish but I know I have been more than a glutton when it comes to my cheese and peanut butter.
I love the grilled cheese sandwich, and I make excuses that it is a few of my main sources of protein. I also love my protein. Inwardly I am clinching as I bite each sandwich because I know I am having one too many. When I am lazy to cook what do I do? I just make my grilled cheese sandwich! Yes when I am tired it is no problem to make it and I do not have a sink full of dirty dishes at the end. Growing in Zimbabwe my main source of protein was peanut butter. I do not just use peanut but I relish it. I use it on my banana slices, my apple slices, my greens, my sandwiches and oh yes I can just lick teaspoonful of peanut butter. I feel like I am in heaven. I do not buy the little jars of peanut butter I buy the almost 2kg ones, of smooth and crunchy peanut butter both. I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER.
Like all things and all love relationships end, I know mine with peanut butter and cheese have to come to an end. Not just butter but also the peanuts. I can roast them in my micro wave, I can cook them and eat them as my main meal. I know now I have been over indulging in my peanut butter and peanuts intake and am so sad our relationship has to end. Yes last night you guessed right. I over indulged. I took yes three table spoons and just licked all the peanut but away until I fell asleep. I made my decision those were the last spoons of peanut butter I will ever lick. I gave up sour cream, I have given up pork, bacon, beef, ribs, oxtail, and all types of beef jerks. Last night made the hard decision that this relationship too HAS to END.
I value my health more. I will eat and use peanuts in a reasonable manner. I am not an addict and I can do without peanut butter and cheese. Peanut Butter I love you but I love my health better. Cheese I love you but not to the detriment of my health. Our relationship has to be healthy as such, I am making a conscious decision not to buy chips and all unhealthy snacks, I am making the same conscious decisions where you two are concerned. I am going to eat you in moderation. I am not going to abandon you but I am going to have to limit my intake of you. In the meantime I will have walnuts, almonds, pecans, and reasonably.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Landed finally
The happiness had at some point to come to an end. I had the most wonderful four weeks I could have imagined. Not only did I enjoy time with my grandbabies. It was heaven to hold my daughter and smell her after several years and to be reacquainted with her husband as well. It felt as though I had suddenly been uprooted from this world to another when my nieces started coming to visit with me. Just before Christmas my younger sister came over as well. That was the icing on the cake. Words can not describe the joy of being surrounded by the family members I had not seen in years. As though that was not enough more nieces and nephews, cousins, and the whole tribe descended on us on Christmas eve. We did not go to sleep. We talked the night away. Then New Year's Eve I had a surprise from someone I had longed to meet for a long time. My son's girlfriend visited with us. Even my ex husband came to visit and yes for the first time we were civil with each other despite our other differences we had a fruitful visit.
Christmas day was beautiful. The Christmas tree was labored with presents that reached up to the ceiling. I had never celebrated Christmas where so many people exchanged so many gifts and enjoyed unwrapping the presents like Christmas of 2011. We spent almost two hours unwrapping presents. I could not believe that almost everybody had bought me presents and I had not even brought one present with me. Truly I knew they all had unconditional love for me, even though I had not brought anything they felt honored by my visit just to reciprocate the honor by buying me presents. I enjoyed trying on my new outfits, sweater dresses, trench coats, turtle necks, tights, jewelry, you name it. It was as though Santa had read my mind. I managed to get a throw that matches my fur coat, as well as a laptop! Can it ever get better than that?
As though that was not enough on Boxing Day, I just enjoyed spending the money of my loving family. In the UK this day (Boxing Day) is like our Black Friday! I could not believe my good fortune. We went to so many shops, I was just swiping their cards. By the time we came back home I had spend several hundreds more of their precious and worthy pounds and none of them flinched. Goodness knows how much I needed to be pampered like that, and I am not sure I truly deserved it at all. I felt so humbled by their demonstration of family love.
Everyday from the time I arrived in the UK to the day I left, it felt like Christmas everyday. I enjoyed my family immensely. As soon as I came back home it did not cease, it was as though the ones here did not wish to be out done. There was more jewelry waiting for me, sewing machine, and my family visited exactly two weeks after I came back. If I cannot say thank you to your all for your hospitality then I do not deserve to be ever pampered like that again. I am writing everything here publicly where you can all read and know I how I truly feel.
Today I sit here alone but I know I am rich for I am blessed with this wonderful family. Please God take care of them all, wherever they are. They each have a special place in my heart.
Christmas day was beautiful. The Christmas tree was labored with presents that reached up to the ceiling. I had never celebrated Christmas where so many people exchanged so many gifts and enjoyed unwrapping the presents like Christmas of 2011. We spent almost two hours unwrapping presents. I could not believe that almost everybody had bought me presents and I had not even brought one present with me. Truly I knew they all had unconditional love for me, even though I had not brought anything they felt honored by my visit just to reciprocate the honor by buying me presents. I enjoyed trying on my new outfits, sweater dresses, trench coats, turtle necks, tights, jewelry, you name it. It was as though Santa had read my mind. I managed to get a throw that matches my fur coat, as well as a laptop! Can it ever get better than that?
As though that was not enough on Boxing Day, I just enjoyed spending the money of my loving family. In the UK this day (Boxing Day) is like our Black Friday! I could not believe my good fortune. We went to so many shops, I was just swiping their cards. By the time we came back home I had spend several hundreds more of their precious and worthy pounds and none of them flinched. Goodness knows how much I needed to be pampered like that, and I am not sure I truly deserved it at all. I felt so humbled by their demonstration of family love.
Everyday from the time I arrived in the UK to the day I left, it felt like Christmas everyday. I enjoyed my family immensely. As soon as I came back home it did not cease, it was as though the ones here did not wish to be out done. There was more jewelry waiting for me, sewing machine, and my family visited exactly two weeks after I came back. If I cannot say thank you to your all for your hospitality then I do not deserve to be ever pampered like that again. I am writing everything here publicly where you can all read and know I how I truly feel.
Today I sit here alone but I know I am rich for I am blessed with this wonderful family. Please God take care of them all, wherever they are. They each have a special place in my heart.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Pure Joy
A few days ago I wrote about the relationship of grandparents and grandchildren. Now I have had several days to experience it more and be tested as well. Nothing has taken away from my joy of those two naughty and endearing grandchildren of mine. The days have gone by so fast because every minute of my waking hours is spent with them. They have been the center of my world and nothing else stopped to exist. I know their mom might feel like I am taking over but I know my boundaries. I am not there to discipline them, I am not there not make their schedules, I am just here to spend time as much as I can with them.
Tao is at an age where he understands the meaning of play and seriousness. He knows how far he can push the buttons, test my temper, try my patience, and somehow unlike my children he knows Gogo has a lot of patience where he is concerned, can tolerate his misbehaviors, and try my temper all he can. He knows when he wants his mom or his dad's attention, and he knows when he wants Gogo to take him to the bathroom and wipe his bottom and then have the audacity to tell me 'wait Gogo I have to go again and please put your fingers on your nose!' Who else but a grandson can get away with that. He knows when he misbehaves and I tell him he will be facing disciplinary action from his mom then he will cry for his mom because he knows his mom's threats are just empty threats, yet even a look from his dad speaks volumes, and a word puts him in his right place. I have had a wonderful week bonding with Tao and no price can even be attached to that!
As for Tana the first couple of days were so heartbreaking. She would not willingly come to me. She would not even look at me let alone turn her head when I called her name she continued to ignore me and obliterated me into oblivion, ouch that hurt I tell you. Though for the several past days she has sown says she is getting used to the idea of having me around and that did a lot to warm up my heart. Yesterday Saturday somehow, marked a milestone in our relationship. She sought me out the whole day. We took pictures of her looking at me and me looking at her in the mirror! She wanted to participate in all the playing I did with Tao, she even let me feed me. She would come and seek me from the living room and run back to the kitchen so that I could follow her. She let me pick her up and we could play Giddya, Giddya! and she now knows when I get hold of her I can tickle her and she is ready to keep laughing. She knows when she sees me with my camera she is posing for pictures. It has been more than what my heart and my emotions hungered for! To hold this tiny baby girl in my arms and feel her, smell her, and actually see her and not just picture her, this was a true blessing!
However, no matter how I feel right now, it will never make up for all the time I will not be with them, for all the time I am gone and I will miss them with all my being! I cannot tell what the future holds but for the time being I am happy I got to meet my grandchildren!
Tao is at an age where he understands the meaning of play and seriousness. He knows how far he can push the buttons, test my temper, try my patience, and somehow unlike my children he knows Gogo has a lot of patience where he is concerned, can tolerate his misbehaviors, and try my temper all he can. He knows when he wants his mom or his dad's attention, and he knows when he wants Gogo to take him to the bathroom and wipe his bottom and then have the audacity to tell me 'wait Gogo I have to go again and please put your fingers on your nose!' Who else but a grandson can get away with that. He knows when he misbehaves and I tell him he will be facing disciplinary action from his mom then he will cry for his mom because he knows his mom's threats are just empty threats, yet even a look from his dad speaks volumes, and a word puts him in his right place. I have had a wonderful week bonding with Tao and no price can even be attached to that!
As for Tana the first couple of days were so heartbreaking. She would not willingly come to me. She would not even look at me let alone turn her head when I called her name she continued to ignore me and obliterated me into oblivion, ouch that hurt I tell you. Though for the several past days she has sown says she is getting used to the idea of having me around and that did a lot to warm up my heart. Yesterday Saturday somehow, marked a milestone in our relationship. She sought me out the whole day. We took pictures of her looking at me and me looking at her in the mirror! She wanted to participate in all the playing I did with Tao, she even let me feed me. She would come and seek me from the living room and run back to the kitchen so that I could follow her. She let me pick her up and we could play Giddya, Giddya! and she now knows when I get hold of her I can tickle her and she is ready to keep laughing. She knows when she sees me with my camera she is posing for pictures. It has been more than what my heart and my emotions hungered for! To hold this tiny baby girl in my arms and feel her, smell her, and actually see her and not just picture her, this was a true blessing!
However, no matter how I feel right now, it will never make up for all the time I will not be with them, for all the time I am gone and I will miss them with all my being! I cannot tell what the future holds but for the time being I am happy I got to meet my grandchildren!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Grandchildren
I am sitting here wondering why I feel so fulfilled after such a long time of not holding Taonenyasha/Theodore and Tanashe/Theone in my arms. I start to wonder what other people have said about grandparents-grandchildren relationships. I google that up just to get a feel of how other grandparents have described that relationship. The first quote was this one!
Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation. ~Lois Wyse!
Now I am connected to my granchildren through their mother, just as I was connected to my grandparents through my mother, just as she was also connected to her own grandparents through her parents and so on and so on. How very appropriate! I look at Tao and I cannot help but realize that here is my own extension through my daughter! I look at Tana and hear her laugh and see her smile and she touches my heart because I recognize a little bit of my own smile in hers! At some point in my life I was that innocent, I laughed without a care, I smiled to show my love, Tana and Tao do the same but they care. Before they could fully trust me they had to realize my love for them. Now they come to me as Tao says 'Gogo' and Tana says 'baby' to me and we threel roll on the floor for hours just grandma and grandbabies! I see that dimple on Tana's cheek and I know the day I will leave her I am going to have a hole that deep in my heart because I do not ever want to leave! I hear Tao's voice as I drift off to sleep and relaize I never want to miss his voice in my ears ever again.
Then I find another quote......
Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. ~Welsh Proverb.
One saying, that perfect love does not come until the first grandchild, and the second, and the third, and the next and th next and it will always be perfect with each grandchild because they will all be perfect! I cannot explain it but there is comething so special in my heart, not that I never felt it for my children, I did but then this time it is multiplied tenfold. Maybe it is because when I had my children I was still so very young and did not even look beyond bringing them up. Now that they are adults I cannot believe I have been blessed to see my own grandchildren. I have siblings who did not live to see their own children grow up as such I appreciate this life that I have been blessed with. I have friends who died in the prime of their lives, with so many plans, they never realized, and I am so grateful that I have realized so many plans some that I never even thought I had. Yes I have now experienced perfect love through my grandchildren., not only one but so far two, how can I not feel this perfect love!
A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television. ~Author Unknown
I cannot believe I have been sitting in this house for five days now and I have not even tried to watch the news! All I have been watching Cbiebees, Toy Story, Toy Book, Simpsons, Smurfs, Elmo, and all the British children's TV shows. I last read story books to Farai when he was in grade school now he is a man in his 20s! These few days it has been Tao and Tana counting, jumping, riding horse, reading, doing the alphabet and I find my heart nostalgic with that love I had for my children while we read and played. What babysitter can be as perfect as that babysitting and teaching. We laugh, we run, we take naps, and yes watch TV shows Tao loves, and Tana watches innocently, and we take our own home videos, memories to treasure forever. For me TV for these days is not even missed because I have real live drama with my grandbabies! I wonder when Bravo is going to bring on the show Real Live Grandmothers and Their Grandchildren for you never know with reality TV!
Then I see another quote.........
What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. ~Rudolph Giuliani.
I never thought at any point and time I would quote Rudolph Giuliani in anything but here he gives me the icing on the cake! I might not have brought cookies but we have been munching on peanuts because in my culture that's what grandmother's provide in abundance besides life peanuts to make you thirsty and drink! I have love unconditional, patience like I never knew, humor to see the fun in what I do not even understand, comfort in knowing them, kindness because they need it in this world, care how can I not, and lots of kisses and hugs!
Grandchildren are the reverse of all I have said above about grandparents! So there is no difference, grandchildren provide us with lessons that we did not know when our own children were younger, they reconnect us to our children as adults as we only knew them as our children, they take us back to our own childhood to our own grandparents and realize the lessons we learned what we know without even knowing we were being taught anything, they bring memories of our own parents because that was the role we thought we knew the most but now realize as our own children try hard that we did not know anything. Grandchildren are more than just dots that connect generation to generation, they are the link pins that ensure we never get disconnected and that generations are interconnected together forever!
When a child is born, so are grandmothers. ~Judith Levy
I was born more than 50 years ago, and so my role as a grandparent was born! It just did not start when the child the grandchild was born we are prepared for the role from the day we are born!
Grandchildren are the dots that connect the lines from generation to generation. ~Lois Wyse!
Now I am connected to my granchildren through their mother, just as I was connected to my grandparents through my mother, just as she was also connected to her own grandparents through her parents and so on and so on. How very appropriate! I look at Tao and I cannot help but realize that here is my own extension through my daughter! I look at Tana and hear her laugh and see her smile and she touches my heart because I recognize a little bit of my own smile in hers! At some point in my life I was that innocent, I laughed without a care, I smiled to show my love, Tana and Tao do the same but they care. Before they could fully trust me they had to realize my love for them. Now they come to me as Tao says 'Gogo' and Tana says 'baby' to me and we threel roll on the floor for hours just grandma and grandbabies! I see that dimple on Tana's cheek and I know the day I will leave her I am going to have a hole that deep in my heart because I do not ever want to leave! I hear Tao's voice as I drift off to sleep and relaize I never want to miss his voice in my ears ever again.
Then I find another quote......
Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild. ~Welsh Proverb.
One saying, that perfect love does not come until the first grandchild, and the second, and the third, and the next and th next and it will always be perfect with each grandchild because they will all be perfect! I cannot explain it but there is comething so special in my heart, not that I never felt it for my children, I did but then this time it is multiplied tenfold. Maybe it is because when I had my children I was still so very young and did not even look beyond bringing them up. Now that they are adults I cannot believe I have been blessed to see my own grandchildren. I have siblings who did not live to see their own children grow up as such I appreciate this life that I have been blessed with. I have friends who died in the prime of their lives, with so many plans, they never realized, and I am so grateful that I have realized so many plans some that I never even thought I had. Yes I have now experienced perfect love through my grandchildren., not only one but so far two, how can I not feel this perfect love!
A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television. ~Author Unknown
I cannot believe I have been sitting in this house for five days now and I have not even tried to watch the news! All I have been watching Cbiebees, Toy Story, Toy Book, Simpsons, Smurfs, Elmo, and all the British children's TV shows. I last read story books to Farai when he was in grade school now he is a man in his 20s! These few days it has been Tao and Tana counting, jumping, riding horse, reading, doing the alphabet and I find my heart nostalgic with that love I had for my children while we read and played. What babysitter can be as perfect as that babysitting and teaching. We laugh, we run, we take naps, and yes watch TV shows Tao loves, and Tana watches innocently, and we take our own home videos, memories to treasure forever. For me TV for these days is not even missed because I have real live drama with my grandbabies! I wonder when Bravo is going to bring on the show Real Live Grandmothers and Their Grandchildren for you never know with reality TV!
Then I see another quote.........
What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies. ~Rudolph Giuliani.
I never thought at any point and time I would quote Rudolph Giuliani in anything but here he gives me the icing on the cake! I might not have brought cookies but we have been munching on peanuts because in my culture that's what grandmother's provide in abundance besides life peanuts to make you thirsty and drink! I have love unconditional, patience like I never knew, humor to see the fun in what I do not even understand, comfort in knowing them, kindness because they need it in this world, care how can I not, and lots of kisses and hugs!
Grandchildren are the reverse of all I have said above about grandparents! So there is no difference, grandchildren provide us with lessons that we did not know when our own children were younger, they reconnect us to our children as adults as we only knew them as our children, they take us back to our own childhood to our own grandparents and realize the lessons we learned what we know without even knowing we were being taught anything, they bring memories of our own parents because that was the role we thought we knew the most but now realize as our own children try hard that we did not know anything. Grandchildren are more than just dots that connect generation to generation, they are the link pins that ensure we never get disconnected and that generations are interconnected together forever!
When a child is born, so are grandmothers. ~Judith Levy
I was born more than 50 years ago, and so my role as a grandparent was born! It just did not start when the child the grandchild was born we are prepared for the role from the day we are born!
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