The Truth of the Matter

I feel okay about revealing the truth of my stress this past year. Just for you, my friends, on blip.....and my close friends in my real life:  My granddaughter was lost in a world of bad decisions, a baby caused a bump in her road to self destruction; I became hopeful, but concerned for her lack of maturity.

To make a long story short she HAD to leave her old lifestyle, she met some healthier people who didn't "use and abuse" her, she found an organization who helps girls in her situation, he made a decision to plan adoption, she released the baby for adoption, she has successfully become a part of the adoptive family's life (open adoption is becoming common here), she is moving to an apartment this weekend. The adoptive Mom, the baby and my granddaughter came to my house for a visit today, my husband and my granddaughter's father(my son) met the adoptive Mom for the first time , I cried and we all talked about those feelings openly. It was good, very good.....not what I dreamed of for our first great grandchild, but I think this is going to be okay; maybe better than okay. This is a good home for this baby to grow up in, my granddaughter has a reason to finish school and make a respectful life for herself, we will have a relationship with this adorable child AND her new family. It feels like we are all a big new family.

 I have no allusions of perfection, I expect bumps in this time of  life too; but it is fair to say I am hopeful. My granddaughter has remained in my heart and life through weekly phone calls, even in the worst of times. She has gotten very angry with me, but she always knows I will be here for her, no matter what. I have learned to not enable her with money or too much help, but I will always give whatever time I can give her to listen and, yes, she does listen to me.....not always cheerfully, but she always comes back to hear more.  

Misunderstanding happens, BUT this family, my granddaughter and I are "brutally" honest in a good way, so I see us remaining friends thru life and this baby will have more grandmas and grandpas than she knows what to do with!

I loved this photo of these beautiful children, at peace with the situation in which they have found themselves. This baby is the most relaxed and calm baby I have ever meet; it blows the theory that a birth mother's stress during pregnancy will be transferred to the baby. BUT perhaps the love and calmness the baby felt after birth may have made the difference. We all loved on that baby while in the hospital; I stayed in the room with my granddaughter the whole time during inducement and delivery and beyond, 5 days all together in that hospital room was awesome. 

Thanks for reading this and respecting this "different path" into great grandparenthood!