The Mergenthaler Family

 Letters From the Nest https://open.substack.com/pub/lettersfromthenest/p/fear-and-courage?r=48qui&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web Within the last month, our family has had a new addition, and this sweet baby boy is the first in the next generation. Sometimes I feel too young to be a grandmother, especially since we still have young children at home. Other times, I feel very grandmotherly, like when I’m climbing the stairs and my joints pop and crackle more than a bowl of Rice Krispies. I felt very grateful to be a part of helping our oldest daughter welcome her firstborn into the world, but it was also surprisingly traumatic. I say, surprisingly, because when people talk about becoming grandparents, they’re full of joy and wonder. Rightly so. The miracle of birth is both joyful and wonderful, but it’s also incredibly difficult and scary. Why did I forget that? Bringing children into the world is not for the faint of heart. It’s demanding in every way you can think of--phy...

 Before I became Grandma B (still thinking about what I want to be called, but that sounds okay), our kids celebrated me being Mom. We had a good day. Rick reported to his family that he did a lot of dishes. I guess that's how Mother's Day is for him. I appreciated it because, of course, I battled a headache for a good part of the day (something about Sundays). After a nice nap outside, we gathered our smores, hammocks, and fire-starting supplies and headed for an adventure in the wilderness. It was a nice day after a difficult week trying to get Sean to school. There's a lot more to that story than I'll put here on the blog, but let's just say, the battle continues. Sean isn't the only child of our that presents challenges lately. And he provides just as many laughs and sincere compliments. Parenting is both ennobling and humbling, joyful and sorrowful, frustrating and empowering. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm doing okay. Other times, I know I'm not. We ha...

 I don't have a lot of pictures (what have I been thinking?!?) We are so happy Emily and Logan's baby made it safe and sound. He's 2 1/2 days old at this writing. What an adventure!