Choosing Between the Ones You Love
How do you choose between your children when more than one needs you at the same time?
That was the question that started this journey.
Making the decision to fly to Texas to help Chris and Rachel while Caitlynn was just returning to school wasn’t easy. I even involved Caitlynn in the final decision because I wanted her thoughts before I booked my flight.
Even now, I’m not completely sure I made the right decision for everyone involved.
Sometimes that’s just life.
You do the best you can with the information you have, and you pray it’s enough.
Can your heart feel heavy and overflowing with joy at the same time?
Absolutely.
Grandma Duty Begins
I flew to Texas to watch our granddaughters while Chris and Rachel escaped for a much-deserved birthday weekend with friends.
Considering they used to live just down the street from us, any time I get with these four is a gift.
Rush hour traffic kept us from heading straight home after Chris picked me up from the airport, so we stopped at Willie’s for dinner instead. The girls immediately disappeared into the giant sandbox while Chris and I enjoyed an adult beverage and caught up.
Those quiet conversations with your grown children become treasures.
Watching the girls laugh, play, and chatter while we talked made my heart incredibly happy.
By the time we finally made it home, real life quickly took over. Showers, bedtime routines, instructions about appointments, and one quick trip with Chris to their travel trailer gave me just a few more minutes alone with my son before he and Rachel left early the next morning.
Pool Days and New Friendships
The next morning, I was awakened by two excited little girls…and two energetic dogs.
Apparently, 5:00 a.m. Arizona time was the perfect time to start the day.
After breakfast, we headed straight to the neighborhood pool.
For over an hour, we had the entire pool to ourselves while the girls proudly showed me how much their swimming had improved.
Later, another young mother joined us with her two boys.
I’ll admit something.
I judged her.
She was young, beautiful, and spent the first several minutes talking on her phone while her fearless one-year-old repeatedly launched himself into the pool wearing a life jacket.
I quickly formed an opinion.
Then she got off the phone.
Within minutes we were chatting, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company while all four children played together.
God has a funny way of reminding us not to judge a book by its cover.
It was a lesson I apparently needed that day.
Pizza, Tokens, and Life Lessons
After the pool, we headed to Peter Piper Pizza—one of the girls’ favorite places.
We enjoyed what Norah proudly called “linner”…because it was too late for lunch and too early for dinner.
Perfect logic.
The girls played game after game until disaster struck.
Lilah accidentally left the cup holding the last of their tokens at one of the machines.
When she returned, they were gone.
Someone had taken them.
It was a difficult lesson for two little girls.
Thankfully, God had already provided another lesson.
Just minutes earlier, a father and son had handed me every one of their prize tickets because they simply enjoyed playing together and didn’t need the prizes.
Their unexpected generosity softened the disappointment of someone else’s dishonesty.
Sometimes life balances itself in beautiful ways.
School Shopping with Grandma
The following day became “Back-to-School Shopping Day.”
Target.
Justice.
School supplies.
Backpacks.
New clothes.
Happy girls.
One broke grandma.
Lilah found a backpack she absolutely loved, both girls found plenty of clothes, and we all ended the day smiling…even if my wallet wasn’t quite as happy.
Cheer Uniforms and Hallmark Movies
The next morning was all about cheerleading.
Lilah had her uniform fitting, and afterward we stopped at a nearby playground.
Eventually the Texas heat convinced us it was time to head home.
The girls wanted to play with the neighbors, but no one was home.
So this grandma improvised.
Hallmark movie.
Success.
At least for a while.
The girls became completely invested in the movie.
Later, I heard them upstairs acting out a marriage proposal complete with one on bended knee holding an imaginary ring.
Maybe Hallmark wasn’t the best choice after all.
Grandma vs. Messy Bedrooms
One thing I had forgotten…
Kids can destroy a perfectly clean room in record time.
We spent hours organizing bedrooms, folding clothes, putting laundry away, and making everything look wonderful.
Within hours…
It looked like a tornado had come through.
More than once.
Needless to say, we had several conversations about cleaning up after ourselves.
Thankfully, by the time Mommy and Daddy returned, the bedrooms looked presentable once again.
Mission accomplished.
Church from Afar
One thing I loved about this trip was that I never really felt disconnected from home.
Our church livestream allowed me to participate in worship and hear another wonderful message from Pastor Brian.
Even hundreds of miles away, I was reminded how thankful I am for our church family.
Mommy and Daddy Come Home
When Chris and Rachel walked through the front door, the girls’ faces lit up with pure joy.
There is something incredibly special about watching your own child become a wonderful parent.
Chris is an amazing dad.
Rachel is an incredible mom.
Watching the four of them together reminded me what family is really all about.
Before dinner, Chris drove us through a neighborhood they hope to someday call home.
Beautiful homes.
Beautiful community.
And deer everywhere.
The girls loved every minute of it.
So did I.
Delayed Flights and Unexpected Conversations
The next day it was time for me to head home.
Chris and I happened to be flying out at nearly the same time, so we headed to the airport together.
Or at least that was the plan.
Flight delays had other ideas.
We spent hours talking at the airport before he boarded his flight.
Those conversations with your grown children are gifts you never take for granted.
While waiting for my own delayed flight, I struck up a conversation with another traveler whose father-in-law was battling both leukemia and lymphoma.
He was headed to Canada to be with family.
As we talked, I couldn’t help but think how precious time really is.
Before we parted ways, I promised him I would pray for his family.
Sometimes strangers become part of your journey, even if only for a few minutes.
Home Is Calling
After multiple delays, I finally boarded my flight home.
I had loved every minute with my granddaughters….I had loved the conversations with Chris…I had loved watching family simply be family.
But I was ready to see Tracey.
And I couldn’t wait to hug my baby girl back home.
I always tell Caitlynn I wish I could squish her up, put her in my pocket, and take her everywhere with me.
I still mean it.
The Greatest Adventures Aren’t Always the Ones We Plan
Looking back, I probably worried far too much about whether I had made the right decision by coming to Texas.
The truth is, life often asks us to make difficult choices, and there isn’t always a perfect answer.
What I do know is this…
I was blessed with a week I’ll never get back.
We laughed….We swam….We shopped…We cleaned bedrooms more times than I can count.
We made memories.
Those little girls probably won’t remember every restaurant we visited or every errand we ran.
But I hope they’ll remember that Mommom showed up.
And honestly…
That’s enough for me.