The "Sandwich Generation"

The girls and I are heading down to the Salem area today, to spend the night with my their nammy. My mom is 79...it's so hard for me to believe that, and harder yet for her to believe.

You see, all the women in my family tend to have their children later in life. Not by plan, it is just how life has worked out for each of us.
A little history...My grandmother lost her first husband in one of the great epidemics of the early century, leaving her a widow with a son. She remarried, and had two daughters at age 39 and 41...one of them, being my mom.
My mom, in turn, did not meet her Mr. Right until age 30...which by today's standards is not that late but in the 1950's was considered quite tardy. I didn't come along until about six years later- her one and only.

And then there's me...who also didn't find her Mr. Right until age 30 and also didn't have my first baby until age 36...and the second at age 39.

And since my husband's parents have passed away, my children have just one grandparent- their beloved Nammy. Nammy may be slow getting around but she has a lot of love to give- and my girls adore her. And when all of us gals get together, we are indeed, separated by a great length in years from youngest to oldest. And yet...we're all connected by that bond...that bond of femaleness and genes that is undeniable.

My mom is hoping to sell her house this year and move closer to us. It's a big transition, and I as her only child will be doing all I can. But it's challenging...I am part of the "sandwhich generation"...someone who's parent is becoming elderly while her children are still young and dependent. I know I'm not the only one in this situation...I've met a few others who are dealing with helping generations on both ends, while their sandwiched neatly in-between.

In spite of the challenges, though, I am so thankful! Thankful that my mom is still alive and well and can know my little girls- and that they can know her. And the plus side of having a grandmother so well seasoned in life, is that she is a grand source of living history and stories that she can hand down to us. I joked in my last post of other parents with kids my age thinking I am a piece of history...but my mom truly is! Born in the 20's and raised in the Depression...a teen during WWII who planted victory gardens and shopped with ration coupons... she has seen so many changes in our world and we can learn so much from her.

So...we are off to see Nammy today. And though the years ahead may bring many challenges to me with my two generations, I am SO grateful to the Lord for giving me "the bread on both ends".

(Please visit my mom's blog on the link to the right- Grandmothersmusings.)