Changes In Life
Becoming the woman you were meant to be
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Changes? Not me!
By: Pat Lapointe,
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I have found that it is much easier to look at the changes in other people rather than myself. Call me a coward, but…..
I look first at my husband. Thirty three years ago he had firm muscles from working as a ramp rat loading planes. His hair was jet black, long-ish and wavy and he had a full lush beard. He’s an attorney now and the heaviest thing he lifts is his briefcase. As my father would say, his wavy hair has waved goodbye. When the beard turned gray, it was quickly dismissed and his hair dryer is surrounded by cobwebs under the bathroom sink.
I look at my four daughters. The pony tails, braids and barrettes that once adorned their lovely brown and blond heads are gone, as are their worries about if a boy will call and getting zits at all the wrong times. Now the only thing added to their heads is the hair dye to cover the gray, and they fret because they find themselves at the drugstore looking for reading glasses.
I look at each of my grandchildren. Graham (AKA Mr. Boogs) once the little guy with curly hair who waited to see Bapa’s car pull in the driveway, now, at nearly fifteen talks about how he’ll be driving over to our house very soon.
Then there’s his sister, Olivia (AKA Princess Raspberry). The little sweet smiling, adventurous toddler has now, at age twelve turned her energy into wonderful creative moments filled with art, computer design and writing. which she is always eager to show grandma.
Next came Max. He’s chosen to not have a nickname. He’s gone from this very picky little eater- only ham, peas and neenies (raisins) to having the “I’ll eat anything and everything” eleven year old boy. He’s also gone from being shy and easily frightened to performing in concerts and in many plays.
The next grandson, Henry (AKA Alvin) is one we anxiously awaited while his mom underwent in vitro. He may have been my third, but the excitement was as over the top as the first one. I was blessed by caring for him for several of his early months. He’s gone from the little guy who outstretched his arms to me at the door, to the eleven year old that still wants hugs from grandma.
We worried about Louis (AKA Homer) for the first few months of his life. He absolutely could not hold his head up. Today, at nine, he’s making up for it with being “erect’ in his beliefs (some might say rigid) and excelling at sports.
Edward, Lou’s twin (AKA Goober), bestowed upon me his very first real smile. He’s always been the cuddly one. But now when we cuddle I can feel the muscular body he’s developed through playing every possible sport. And now, when we hug, there is often a secret he only wants to tell grandma.
Next came Charlie (AKA Barley to Grandma, YaYa to his little sister). He was hard to miss in the nursery with his bright red hair. He’s gone from the little boy who loved grandma bouncing him to “Pony Boy” to the freckled face, almost nine year old challenging Grandma in Wii games.
Harrison (like his brother Max, didn’t want a nickname) was next in line. He’s gone from this very serious, round faced baby who would rather sit still than play, to an eight year old bundle of energy, excelling at anything where he can be active, and having a grandma that can barely keep up with him.
There was a time when I became sad thinking that there would be no new additions to my tribe. But then came Samantha (AKA Sam-Sam). And boy was she worth the wait! The day she was born she could hold her already red head upright. It should have been our first clue to her personality, She’s a two and a half year old who knows her own mind and isn’t afraid to tell you what she wants and/or thinks. Unlike her cousin Olivia, Sam-Sam is an extreme girly-girl. She loves princesses, dress up, started dancing as soon as she could walk and has already had her first dance recital. She prefers to spend her days wearing a tutu and pink gloves. I must admit this has made for a lot of fun shopping for this grandmother.
These are the changes I prefer to think about, especially when I awake with stiff limbs after a night of dealing with neuropathy or on the frequent occasions of entering a room and not remembering why I went there.
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