Header pic from Taste and Tell Blog

About a month ago, Stacy and I moved my mom from my hometown–two and a half hours away–to the town where we live. I am the younger of Mom’s two kids, but my brother lives half the nation away… so I am the default Doer of Things for Mom. While I Have Thoughts and Have Feelings about that, it is what it is, so it’s moot to go into them here.

That means, Dear Readers, that I’m officially a member of a club that I had heretofore thought I would never join: the Sandwich Squad. In order to be a member, one has to have both children and parents for whom you are caring.

As recently as three years ago, I thought I might not ever have children in my life. I also thought, given the state of my relationship with my mom, and her nearly pathological independence (I had to come by mine somehow, right?), that I would never be taking care of her. Now, I have two children in my house and Mom in my town.

Frankly, it hasn’t been long enough that Mom has been near us for many of the implications to be realized. One huge, positive bonus is that Mom is the only local grand-type person for LaLa and Bubs–we are stoked about this. Our Littles are extremely loving, and have welcomed Mom with open hearts. They are enjoying having a Grand nearby, and she seems to be enjoying her new role.

That said, two kiddos with intense needs plus a parent with intense needs is… intense (I hope that wasn’t a cliff-hanger conclusion for you). I have learned a lot about myself in the last three years, building my relationships with the kids. Now that Mom is here, I have some additional Personal Growth challenges. Plus, you know, my own life (which is sometimes a Little Extra).

I know that I’m not the first, and I won’t be the last. So, Good Readers, if any of you have been in this situation, or are currently in this situation, I would love to see your best tips and tricks for making room in the day that never had to be there before and maintaining some semblance of balance in the comments below. I know that in time things may even out, but right now, I’m feeling the squeeze.