Kim Wilbanks

Change is in the air. I can sense it. I can feel it. A new season is on the way. It’s not just a new season on the calendar either. Something big is about to happen and I can’t wait.

Autumn In The Mountains

As I write this, we are in the very last days of summer, waiting expectantly for the infancy of autumn. I’m in my favorite place to experience autumn — the mountains of North Carolina, where it is actually feeling a little “fallish”.  The days are warm but the mornings and evenings are pleasantly cool. (I can guarantee it doesn’t feel like fall back home in central Florida. September still feels very much like summer).

We’re starting to see a little bit of color too. Some of the leaves are turning yellow and deep red. The first of the falling leaves are scattered on the roads. Each day a little more color is noticeable.

Pumpkins are everywhere. It’s nice to be able to display them by my front door without worrying about them melting in the Florida sun. If you’ve never experienced the fragrance of a melted pumpkin, you are lucky. 

It’s getting cool enough to wear a sweater or a wrap in the evening — those things probably won’t get used until January at home. 

A New Season In Life

But, the change I’m talking about, the new season that’s coming, has nothing to do with fall colors, pumpkins, sweaters, football season or even pumpkin spice everything. It’s much, much bigger than that.  It’s a huge change for me and my husband, a new role, a new page in the calendar of our lives.

You see, at the end of September, our very first grandchild is due. A grandson to be specific. We have loved him since we first found out about him back in January and we cannot wait to meet him.

We came to the mountains a little earlier than usual, mainly because it’s much closer to where our son and daughter-in-law live. We have packed our bags and are ready to hop in the car and drive to Nashville as soon as we get the call. A five hour drive is much better than a fourteen hour one. 

So Many Feelings

There are so many feelings — awe, excitement, fear, joy, anxiousness, anticipation and maybe even a twinge of sadness.

• First of all, I’m finding it hard to believe that my son, my firstborn is about to become a daddy. Didn’t I just hold him in my arms as a newborn? I’m astounded at how swiftly time has flown by but I can’t wait to see my boy as a father. I think he’ll be a good one. He had/has a good example to follow.
• For that matter, how in the world did I get old enough to be a grandmother so fast? It seems like my husband and I were just in the child-rearing stage ourselves. 
• I’ve been praying for baby Leo all year, for his health and safety but also that he will grow up to love the Lord. The world is kind of scary right now but he will be surrounded by family who love the Lord and will love him.
• I’m anxious about little things like if he will like me or if he’ll remember me since I’ll be the grandmother who lives “Over the river and through the woods.”
• I don’t know if I’m going to blubber and cry the first time I see him or if I’m just going to grin from ear to ear. Probably a little of both.
• My friends who have had grandchildren already tell me it’s the best. I can’t wait to find out if they were telling the truth.

I’ve experienced many seasons in my life. I was a baby, a toddler, a girl, a teenager, a young woman, a wife, a mother, a middle-aged woman, a mother-in-law and now, I’m about to enter a new season — Grandmother. As I look forward to the beauty of the changing leaves and changing weather in these mountains of North Carolina, so am I looking forward to this new season in my life — my season of Grams.

How about you? Have you just entered a new season in your life or is one just ahead? If you are a grandparent, do you live near your grandchild or far away? Do you have any special advise for long-distance grandparents? I’d love to hear.

We had another major milestone in our lives just before autumn seven years ago. Our youngest, our daughter got married. When our kids went off to college, that was a big deal. But there was something even more life-changing about watching your child get married. You can read about it here.