My Precious Granddaughter Is My Favorite Person in the World

Her mother, my daughter, had used cocaine when she was first pregnant, and my granddaughter was born blue, limp, and silent. She barely weighed 5 pounds, was 21 inches long, and looked like a wrinkly, pale, newly hatched chicken.

The nurses and neonatologists worked on her until she finally moved a little and let out a weak wail, and by the grace of God, she was alive.

I will never forget my daughter lying there after giving birth and sobbing,

Mom, why isn’t my baby crying?

It brings tears to my eyes to remember her forlorn, frightened voice. She knew there was a danger of her baby having problems at birth. As soon as she knew she was pregnant, she immediately stopped using and went through drug rehab. She had my grandson six years later and was a great mother, free of drugs, nicotine, and alcohol for ten years.

Then she left for the streets again.

My granddaughter has been winging it without a mother since she was 12. That’s when my daughter walked away from her husband and two children.

I’ve written much about my oldest child and her struggle with illegal substance dependence but not much about what she left behind … a husband and two children, ages 12 and 6. Sadly, she has missed out on much of her children’s childhood.

My grandchildren have grown up without their mother attending school choir concerts, orchestra recitals, marching band performances, stage productions, baseball games, football games, volleyball games, tennis matches, spelling bees, parent-teacher meetings, or any event at school or church. She came to my granddaughter’s graduation when she was high but did not attend her graduation party. It broke my heart to see my granddaughter watching the door, waiting for her mother to walk in after she said she was coming.

My granddaughter was on the Honor Roll throughout high school, a member of the Honor Society, and received a two-year scholarship to our local community college when she graduated at the top of her class. Her plan for the future was to be a marching band director.

She’s now 20, a proud member of the Gen Z generation, and a brave, hardworking young lady who turned out close to perfect even without her mother there all these years. She has more self-esteem and pride in herself than you can imagine after growing up with an absent mother.

My granddaughter went through a lot in school, listening to mean remarks about her mother and losing friends because other parents feared what my daughter might do. She was bullied in junior high and never told me until this year! Other girls called her terrible names and threatened to beat her up. She said she tried to ignore them. Fortunately, a school counsellor came to her rescue. If they ever notified my son-in-law, I never heard about it.

She was suspended in her junior year of high school for a questionable infraction. But she said it was a school policy and took full responsibility.My Grand Daughter Was Suspended For Having a Weapon in Her Bookbag

This is very serious stuff

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She went with me to buy Homecoming and Prom dresses for her junior and senior years. This year, when she went to prom with her boyfriend, a senior at another school, she insisted on buying her dress. She had a job and said I had already paid for enough of her dresses.

Her old car was totalled last month after hitting a deer (the deer escaped alive). She bought a used Chevy Silverado truck she has always wanted because she’s a farm-loving, horse-loving girl. She dreams of eventually owning a horse farm, training them, and giving riding lessons.

I was troubled she left college for a job last year, but it’s her life, and she is smart enough to decide what to do. She tried truck driving school and realized she wasn’t cut out for that. She enrolled in welding classes at the adult education career centre and decided that was not her calling either.

Finally, she returned to college this semester and is taking courses in Cyber Security. She had to pay for school and secured a school loan. I believe she will stick with this goal after all her hits and misses in the last few years. She has matured since high school and is making intelligent decisions.

My granddaughter is the only one who will bravely watch my mean cat, Punkin when I go on trips! Of course, she has an adorable, sweet, cuddly cat of her own, but she doesn’t compare the two. She argues when I insist on paying her for helping me out. She always says I’ve done enough for her, and she owes me. I don’t see it that way. I may have helped with guidance, advice, and finances, but she did the work to become the kind, considerate, and giving young woman she is now.

She got a $100 gift card for a grocery store from her employer for Thanksgiving and gave it to her dad. He was laid off from work and totalled his car a few weeks before. The family needed food. Since her dad was making the holiday dinner, she felt good being able to supply the food.

Her dad, brother, and she have taken a beating for a few years, but she stays cheerful and responsible and helps support her brother, who is 15. She is buying him a new phone with her next paycheck because his phone broke, and he’s been without one for several months. That's rough for a 15-year-old, but he doesn’t complain. My grandchildren have adjusted to adversity and know how to handle it.

Even though she is busy with work, school, and social activities, my granddaughter finds time to visit me a few times a week. She always brings me my favourite: a large black coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. I know it’s because she thinks of me and loves me. We have the best talks; she listens to me and asks my advice.

I’m proud to be her grandmother. She’s not embarrassed to call me Grammy, the name she’s called me since she could talk. I believe she will always be my favourite person.

When she confides in me with a problem, I say what my cherished grandmother always told me when I cried on her shoulder.

I can’t promise I’ll be here for the rest of your life.
But, I can promise I will love you for the rest of mine.

And that's a promise I will never break.

Copyright @ 2023 Klara Jane Holloway. All rights reserved.

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Klara Jane Holloway

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I write about my experiences in life. Some mundane, some sad, some funny, and hopefully none boring!