Years of anticipation fulfilled

I have watched as young people become excited when birthdays come around and they can understand that there will be a party for them.
There are the constant questions of how many sleeps will there be before Christmas arrives.
There are questions about “When will I go to school?” as they wave older brothers and sisters off on the bus.
As we grow there is the anticipation of going to high school and later the relief when you walk across the stage having graduated. Then comes the worry. “What am I going to do?”
“Should I go for more schooling and leave the community, or should I consider taking up a trade and remain in the community?” The thoughts fully occupy the minds of young people.
Some time along the way, one would like to ask someone out for a date and the worry begins. Will the request for a date be rebuffed or accepted? And eventually one works up the courage to ask that person for a date, hoping for the best outcome.
As parents, we never stop worrying about our children.
The anticipation of their moving away for schooling is both exciting and worrisome. And eventually we reach a conclusion that it is good although many of the concerns that we felt when they entered high school return.
Sometime along the journey of our children, they create relationships that are more permanent and we as parents begin the anticipation of their marriage, the moving in to one household and eventually choosing to buy a home.
We smile as we anticipate each change in their lives and the lives of their partners.
By now, we think that each step is natural and have adjusted to it.
That was what I thought until our daughter-in-law became pregnant with our first grandchild. In fact, it is the first grandchild for both sets of parents.
Living almost 2,000 km away, we relied weekly on phone calls to her health and to the baby room that was being created.
My wife, who is a sewer, created blankets and bibs and “snugglers” and quilts for this coming new member of our family.
As the due date came closer, our excitement continued to grow with a change from weekly calls to almost daily calls or texts.
When she went into labour, our son provided constant updates.
My wife was a nervous wreck and when we attended the Tour de Fort concert on Thursday evening, I was given clear instructions not to turn off my cell phone in case the birth was announced. Fortunately, that occurred between our home and the Townsend Theatre.
Delsie Marie was born.
The relief, the excitement, the tears were wonderful.
The music at the concert was fantastic, but becoming grandparents was the greatest memory of the day.
The years of anticipation were fulfilled.