Leah's Mom: Carol

Hello to all Prayer of Hannah readers. My name is Carol and I am Leah’s mom. She told me a couple of weeks ago that there was a week coming up for the moms to post. However, we were all so busy helping Ed & Leah with getting their new house ready to move into that this week happened upon us so quick. So she sent me an email Tuesday night reminding me that this was my week and called yesterday afternoon to remind me again! Sorry it took so long to get this ready.

Stacey’s mom posted that as far back as she could remember she had wanted to be a mom. I’ll have to admit that that was not the case for me. My husband and I were married very young (ages 19 and 20) and spent many years doing a lot of fun things. We had lots of nieces and nephews as well as children of friends that we doted on. We loved kids but we kept saying that we really didn’t know if we wanted to have children of our own or not. But eventually when all my friends were having babies I started to get that yearning. And now I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without being a mother! It has been joyful, rewarding, challenging, humbling, hectic, and loads of fun. And then to top it all off I’m now a grandma. I don’t think it gets any better than this!

Besides Leah, we also have a 24-year-old bachelor son, Kevin. He lives about an hour from us and Ed & Leah are about four hours away. It is such a blessing to have them near so we get to see all of them often. My heart goes out to moms whose children live several states away or even overseas. After Samuel was born, while Ed & Leah lived in North Carolina, we made a commitment to see them once a month for the first year of Samuel’s life. We drove there, they drove here, Leah & the baby flew to our house, and we met in Florida a couple of times. Then they moved to California, and we thought we wouldn’t get to see them nearly as often. But now that they’re in Chicago we see them quite often (especially because they need help with the new house!!) One of the best ways that I keep up with what is happening to them is through Leah’s blog (Our Payneful Memories). She’s been very good about posting lots of just everyday things happening in their lives. It makes me feel like I live down the street. I’m sure all the rest of you grandmas enjoy your daughter’s blogs also.

I do want to comment here about what a joy it is to watch Leah as a mother. She does an incredible job. You can tell that Samuel and Joel are such a delight to her. I know she’s exhausted but she never seems to lose patience. Those two little boys are very blessed to have her for their mommy!

There’s already been lots of great advice given that I totally agree with—pray for your children (no matter what age), offer unconditional love, enjoy every stage of your children’s lives, have the “fun” house to hang out in, etc. I urge you all to cherish the memories. They will be there after the crying nights and exhausting days. We spent this last weekend at Ed & Leah’s and Kevin came to help. While we were painting Kevin started reminiscing about his high school days and having all his friends to our house. While driving between houses Leah and I were talking about pool parties with her girlfriends in high school. Not too long ago we talked about living on the farm when the kids were little. I have wonderful memories of my children. And they are mostly just ordinary days. Now I am starting to make those memories with my grandchildren. God has truly blessed me. I thank Him for Kevin and Leah. And, now too, for Ed and Samuel and Joel.