I was in hospital following a back operation, and my children called every single day to check on me, pestering the doctor about when they’d finally be allowed to whisk me home. My daughter was absolutely adamant that she wouldn’t leave my side, and my grandson was even worse. Honestly, if school hadnt gotten in the way, I think hed have moved into the hospital full-time. He took it upon himself to run errands for me picking things up here and there, popping to the vending machine on the first floor whenever I fancied a snack.
Somehow, during one of his little wanderings around the ward, he befriended a six-year-old girl. He was nine himself, so not exactly grown up, but full of that misplaced sense of responsibility children have.
This little girl was in hospital with a bad knee fell off her bike, poor thing. She was from a childrens home, and after her tumble, theyd kept her in hospital for a few days.
My grandson, ever the inquisitive soul, asked her all about the childrens homewhy on earth children ended up there, and how on earth one gets out. He came dashing back to his parents and me, quite determined that we were to bring her home with us.
We have to! She said shed only be allowed to go home with a family, and we are a family! he insisted, without a hint of doubt.
My daughter and son-in-law had never really given it much thought before; they hadnt been planning on adding another child to the mix. Granted, Id been dropping hints about a little sibling for my grandsonI wouldnt have minded a second granddaughter, truth be told.
Well, a few months of wrangling paperwork and wading through forms, and what do you knowweve now got a granddaughter, and my grandson has a little sister. They get on like a house on fire, utterly inseparable, and our family has blossomed into an even bigger, warmer, and happier gang.
If theres one thing I regret, its that when I was younger I didnt consider adoption. My husband had asked for a second child, but we couldnt, for various reasons. But now, well, these days we can spoil our grandchildren rottenand goodness knows, thats what grandmothers are made for.
