“This woman. This is my granny.
Today she is 92. I searched all day for the photo I recall taking in 2014 of her and my daughter Ivy, but I am sad that I could not find it. This one will do because the other photo was absolutely precious, but I don’t need the photo to remember every detail of what I walked in on when I snapped it.
Ivy had not been yet diagnosed with Rett Syndrome but Ivy was still sick and oh so different. You could not touch her face or hands. Loud noises sent her into a fit of screaming and crying for hours. That day, when children Izzy and Ivy were maybe close to a year old, granny had came to visit us and stay for a week.
Her and Ivy had a bond always. It was odd and I can’t explain it but after Ivy’s regression and her loss of abilities…well, it made sense how and why Ivy and my elderly granny bonded so much. They were 2 peas in a pod. They napped sitting up off and on while watching television. They neither needed conversation much and their mobility was limited. BFFs was what they were and it’s like Ivy knew granny just ‘got’ her.
But years before granny became so frail and limited, and months before Ivy’s actual diagnosis and her limitations became so extensive…long before that…my precious granny STILL was special to Ivy and that day I understood why.
I had been cleaning and came into my living room and saw something that NEVER happened and I took the now lost photo. Ivy was on the love seat with my granny and they were both leaned into each other, foreheads touching, and granny was holding Ivy’s hands! She was touching Ivy’s face AND hands and Ivy was SMILING off and on and listening to what my granny was quietly saying intently.
As I began to listen, y’all…all I heard was words that almost 6 years later I have never forgotten and I never will. Granny said to Ivy, ‘Other humans may think you’re weird or not good enough…or they may laugh at you when you flap your arms or they mock you for your differences that doctors say you will have…to other people you may be stupid or they may say you’re not enough…kids especially may make you want to cry and tell you that you’re odd…but to God you aren’t. To Him you are perfect and exactly how He created you INTENTIONALLY and THAT is what matters. You’re special. YOU are more than good enough. YOU are different. On purpose…’
I don’t know how long my precious granny went on because I was crying and had to walk away. Ivy’s face will also be forever ingrained in my mind. Because THAT day I knew no matter what her diagnosis or prognosis, I KNEW my Ivy heard granny. I KNEW she understood granny. And I KNEW my special, different, oh so amazingly strong baby WAS smart and no matter what people may throw at her…I KNEW God made her exactly as she was intended and I knew He sent her to me.
And I must admit it hurts so bad to see my sweet granny becoming more frail and feeble. Her time is coming to an end. She says so and she is ready because she has no desire to suffer or tarry here being sad and severely limited due to old age. It hurts me to my core because I have always loved my granny but I know Ivy will lose a friend. One of the few that truly understand her.
Sometimes this life we’ve been given is more than hard but witnessing that one day between my child and my grandmother is enough to be able to acknowledge that I am more than blessed. Happy 92nd birthday to granny. And God thank you for giving her to me…and especially for giving her to Izzy and Ivy. ”
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