What a Difference a Day Makes

No truer words have been spoken.  One day is never the same as the next... one moment be replicated.  Life is like a sky full of snowflakes.  At first they all seem the same but if one is to spy through the eye of a looking glass, one would see the intricacies that separate each into their unique.

Layla  (14 months) in snowflakes, Adelyne under the toys (3 months), Ben in yellow (6 months) and Liam 4years in orange.  Zack (almost 2) won't' sit still for a picture, and Rylee (4 years in just a couple of weeks is still carving her pumkin.

As of late it is true.  I have felt the sadness at times in my heart.  The moments of grief squeezing at my soul.  But today, there is only joy.  Today I am surrounded by the greatest gift of all, children.

My daughter Kaitalyne (Kaiti for short or if I had my way Kat), asked me several weeks ago if I would come and babysit for Layla for the weekend.  Now this is absolutely enormous.  Of course I slept with Layla in the hospital every night for a month while Kaiti and her husband Aaron slept across the street in Ronald McDonald house, but she always knew there was medical staff just a “beep” away.  For parents of “normal” children, going away for the first time can be difficult, but for the parent of a child whose very life depends on receiving her food through a feeding tube and whose care needs to be attentive and constant, leaving a child is downright scary! 

Me and Layla having a moment

I remember the day Kaiti called me and asked if I would consider it.  The tears brimmed at my eyes.  That my daughter would trust me to care for her daughter meant the world to me.  I know what it is to be mom and to know that only you give the best care and love.  But to see that my daughter, knows that her mother will love and protect her precious and special daughter like no other, I am awed with honour.

My son's are such good dads!

And so in bidding my daughter and her husband to spend some quality time with each other that they badly need to rejuvenate their bodies and souls, I rejuvenate mine.  I spend my day surrounded by my two sons, their wives, 5 other grandchildren, and my daughter calling in on Skype to join in the noisy, chaotic fun.  Carving pumpkins, making a Thai dinner to share, passing babies to anyone with open arms.  Loud conversation, broken conversation.  Picking up threads of conversation 2 hours later.  And Queen Gramma Jamma finally sitting with Rylee and Liam; Rylee in her princess costume, a day ahead of Halloween, and Liam excitedly talking of him being batman the next day.  And then, me, the Queen of the Fairy Tale Land of princesses, and princess, and dancing bears, and castles surrounded by magical forests, weaves tales to the enraptured faces of children.  I take them to a land of decorating playrooms, baking cakes, blowing balloon, and magic carpet rids.  And I am overcome with emotion as these precious children gaze at me with wonderment and glistening anticipation. 

Blowing out candles in our carved pumpkins!

For today is another day.  For those days when the world of reality can come crashing down, there are many more days fill our hearts with overflowing happiness, gratefulness and as always …love