Mama Juices

Whatever drives us as mothers – I’ll use the collective term mama juices - still flows in those who are far beyond child-bearing years.  Just put us around our grandkids – the little darlings – and the feeding, teaching, comforting, correcting, encouraging, pampering/hovering/doting starts oozing out.

However, I’m learning that when you live life everyday with grandkids, when they’re often around on a day-in and day-out basis rather than just intermittently, those old mama juices don’t just ooze now and then – they actually flow with a fairly stable current, like a river.  At least this is what I’m told by my adorable husband.

“When I watch you with the girls, it’s reminiscent of how you used to be back when our kids were little,” he said.  “I can see it.  The more you’re around them, the more the mama juices flow.”

Although changes come and go in regard to the proximity of our kids and their families, we’ve had the privilege of living close to Lydia’s family (see the last several days of posts if you don’t know who Lydia is) for the past 18 months.  Their whereabouts may well change in the future, but the current situation has afforded consistent contact and an opportunity to sink in relationally. 

So anyway, here’s my point. Some situations that come up in regard to raising children might seem to require theories, logic, psychology, or some scientific approach.  But maybe some good old mama juices are all that’s needed.

When we hosted Lydia’s siblings for a sleepover last night, and the girls had trouble sleeping (and kept me up almost all night), the old mama juices came flowing like the Mississippi at flood stage.  We not only all survived, but I think we actually bonded and shaped some good memories by the time dawn erupted.