Guest guest Posted October 1, 2005 Report Share Posted October 1, 2005 Heidi, thanks. It is very important to me, as well as to Nikki, that I play a very active role in their children's lives. Nikki really didn't get to have her grandparents as a very active part of her life when she was younger. Her dad was in the army til she was 4. We were stationed in El Paso, TX (1500 miles from home) and Germany. When Nikki was 4, we moved back to Huntsville, AL and with the exception of 8 months in Texarkana, TX and a year in St. Louis, we have lived in the Huntsville area. My dad and stepmother live in Huntsville but my dad was not very kid oriented, especially when Nikki was younger. In all her life, she has spent only one night with her grandfather and stepmother and that was because I had to go to Germany for a 3 week long business trip and Nikki was very upset about me being gone so long. I begged my stepmother to get Nikki one of the weekends I was gone just to get her mind off missing me. Both my dad and stepmother raved about how well behaved and easy going Nikki was. She was 13 at this time, very quite, and very polite and respectful. If the kid had a book to read, you might not see her for hours, so she really was an easy kid. Anyway, despite my dad and stepmom saying they enjoyed spending time with Nikki, they never asked her to spend time with them again and I wasn't going to push her on them. My mom and stepdad lived in Davenport, IA (10 hours away) until the summer before Nikki's senior year of high school. Nikki always loved being with her Granny and PaPa Ron, but with them so far away, she only got to see them about twice year. Nikki's dad's dad died when she was only 4, not long after we got back from living in Germany. His mother adored Nikki and she did babysit her for several months while I worked when Nikki was a toddler while we were waiting for her Dad to get housing for us in Germany. After her dad and I divorced, Nikki didn't get to spend much time with her dad's mom because his new wife didn't like her - she was very poor and just a simple country woman. Also, she adored me even after her son and I divorced. She died when Nikki was only 12. Anyway, Nikki wants her kids to have the kind of grandmother I had growing up. My brother, sister, and I spent lots of time with MaMa all through our youth and we all thought she hung the moon. She was a 5th grade school teacher and was sometimes strict, but we loved her very much and always loved spending the night with MaMa. I want that for my grandchildren. I want Nana and Papa's house to be a place they always love to come to. I want them to have memories that they will treasure and share with their own children one day. Right now Nikki and live in Birmingham, which is 100 miles away. They want very much to live in the Huntsville area but they may have to be patient for another year or two. At least I am not working so spending time with them in B'ham is much easier for me than it would be if I were still working. I do not want to intrude in their lives and Nikki has promised me she will tell me if I do become intrusive. It's very important that I be involved in their lives only to the level that both Nikki and want me to be involved. With stopping the pill in January, you could have that second grandbaby not too long after my first grandbaby is born. I assume and her new hubby are happy and doing well, also. Isn't it grand to see your children grow into happy, responsible adults? take care, W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.