I have an announcement to make. I have seen the absolutely cutest baby ever the other day. That baby happens to be our very first grandchild. It is the most wild thing ever to watch your baby have their own baby. Memories flashed through my brain of the struggle of first being a mom. It was so hard for me. So of course, all I want to do right now is help my daughter sleep a little more than I did and get the help that I desperately needed with our first (which happens to be her). But alas, being a first time mom is just hard, no matter how much help you get. That baby needs her mama right now, not her grandma (or ‘Lita in my case, which is short for “abuelita” because I’m in denial I’m actually a grandma since SURELY I can’t be that old!!).

Help

I can’t wait to go down and help out this new little family. I’m so thankful both my daughter and son-in-law love the LORD. I know the LORD will be worshipped and at the center of their family. Honestly, that’s enough for me. That’s enough because that’s all that matters at the end of the day.

But since I found out about this precious little baby growing in my own baby’s womb, I’ve thought a lot about how can I best navigate being a good mother, mother-in-law, and ‘Lita, while not being obtrusive. When do I step in and help, and when do I step away? I was dying wanting to help with nursing, but I knew it just wasn’t the right moment. It was obvious they wanted to figure things out. But oh my word, I was just praying for self control because I’ve been there done that. All I wanted to do was help!

And then the LORD brought to mind how it felt the same way when I was feeding my own babies solids. For the love of all things good, I just wanted to feed that baby and stop the chaos of food everywhere and all around. Again, all I wanted to do was help.

They’ll figure it out

Eventually our babies figured it out (our 2 year old is still having a tough time, but that’s OK!). For the most part, I’m not taking food out of anyone’s hair anymore. They all learned, and I didn’t need to stress in the least. But in those messy moments, I remembered being so anxious and just wanting the chaos to stop.

Man this parenting thing was (and is) hard. And news flash, it doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon. Navigating our relationship with our adult children may be challenging, but you know what? I’m reminded that the LORD has this, and He has me.

Not up to me

I’m so glad I’m not left to myself to figure things out. I’ve been down this road of trusting the LORD in uncharted waters quite a few times. I have the advantage of age (ahem) and perspective. Although I’m not sure what to do and not do, I know God knows.

It’s funny how the LORD always has a few curve balls for us throughout our lives. We may be expecting the pitch, but we’re not quite sure how to catch that thing. There are few hard and fast rules in life, because life is messy and unpredictable. But what’s incredible is that our God is steadfast and true. There will always be unexpected things that happen, even when we are somewhat “ready” for it (if you’ve ever birthed a baby, you know what I’m talking about). But God is the solid rock we can depend on no matter what.

Life with the LORD

Whether it’s parenting or grandparenting or any other kind of relationship, we have a God that is always there for us to turn to for guidance and wisdom. Life is quite an adventure! And I would argue that it’s even more of an adventure when we are living for the LORD. Praise God, we are never alone. We can walk with confidence in this life, no matter the situation.

Wonder-full

Our family has been reading Wonder-full, which has been so awesome. It’s a fantastic devotional to go through with your kids that cover the Psalms. When I’ve read the Psalms in the past, I would generally plow through them and think to myself, geeze! David repeats himself quite a bit! But when you take your time and read through each Psalm, it’s amazing the depth of wisdom that’s there. David testifies to God’s goodness and faithfulness no matter the situation. He may start off scared or frustrated or have no idea what to do, but he inevitably reminds himself of Who God is. His anxiety and fear dissipate. What an incredible example for us.

This ‘Lita is beyond thrilled to be helping out as much as possible in our daughter and son-in-law’s lives. I’ve told our daughter I’m on duty for whatever is needed. I’m an experienced cook, cleaner, and lactation consultant, ready for duty! And of course, I can snuggle a baby like nobody’s business. Especially this one. But I’ll be praying lots that I will know how best to help, even when that means not to.

Becoming a parent is incredible. Becoming a ‘Lita is amazing! Praise the LORD for all these blessings the LORD allows us to enjoy. What grace that so many have gone before us to help us navigate this time in our lives.

Great books

We have such a great collection of books for parents, as well as a few for grandparents including A Legacy That Lasts written by the daughter of the founder of Chick-fil-a! Pick a few titles up for yourself or for someone you love today!