Time to Go Home

It seems unreal to me that three months have passed so quickly but they have and I will be going home in just three days.  As I have said in my earlier posts, this experience has exceeded my expectations in too many ways to count. I have learned a few things that I would like to share.

1. Being a grandparent is everything and so much more than everyone always tells you before you become a grandparent. You hear the standard jokes about this but it is a fact.  It is a miracle to see the child of your child.

2. I truly feel that the past three months with this wonderful boy, (and his parents), has helped to ease me out of my decade long "mid-life crisis" in which I was trying to figure out who I was and what I was "supposed" to be doing with my life. The fact is that sometimes you have to just let life happen and enjoy what you have.

3. Reuniting with family members from your childhood is a very sweet and important thing to do if you can.  I have been so fortunate to have been able to spend time with first-cousins that I enjoyed during my childhood.  We shared very special grandparents and as children we got together at least every two years even though we lived a thousand miles apart.  The years and our own family responsibilities have unfortunately caused us to see each other more often when someone passes away than when good times occur. We were able to reconnect as they live in the New York area and it is as if we were always friends.  This is very special to me.

4. New York is NOT a scary place.  It is an interesting and complicated city that is surprisingly easy to navigate.  It has endless possibilities and I could live here for years and still discover new and amazing things to do every day.

5. I really love the theater and have neglected that fact over the years mainly through a degree of laziness.

6. Living alone for a few months is okay.  Quiet is not so bad.

7. There is alot to say about the benefit of having your primary mode of transportation being your own two feet. I did not miss driving for a minute. I also actually enjoyed the subway. I rarely took cabs.

8. A glass of red wine most nights does not hurt you. It can actually help you. It is not a sin to drink this wine when you are alone. On occasion if this glass of wine is accompanied by a small piece of chocolate it is even better.

9. I have an exceptional husband. Tom did not hesitate for a minute when I decided to become a Granny/Nanny for three months.  He did it for Jack but he also did it for me and I will always be grateful for that.  His life actually changed as much, or more than mine did during this time. He had to maintain his job as usual but he also had to do all of the things that I did in our life. I am a very lucky woman.

10. Last and definitely not least I have discovered that wonderful things can happen when you least expect them.  After a year of frustration trying to sell our house we took it off the market.  We were not sure what we were going to do but I was leaving town and we would deal with it when I returned.
A month ago our realtor called and told us that someone had seen it online and was interested.  This family looked at the house and bought it. Who knew? Well, it has been an extremely busy month and I returned to Chicago for one week in April and we were able to find a condo that we feel is perfect for us. It has been a challenge to arrange everything long distance but it looks like three weeks after I return home we will be moving on to a new experience.

That is it for now. Maybe in the not too distant future there will be a "Grandma and the Second City" Time will tell but I will never forget all of the happiness that Brian and Lindsay and my darling Jack have given me on my little adventure.