Babby Jams

Barbra Grimmer and I met 3 years ago when bestie Mor came to visit Austin on a girls weekend, and I crashed their Saturday night fun. She and I quickly connected and bonded over shared experiences with struggles on the family journey train. Even though I had 3 children at the time, we got to know each other as adults with our own personalities, outside of my motherhood.

We began weekly walks, while I pushed a stroller with my youngest child (a baby at the time) and she lived with the pain of her sick mother dying, unemployment, and other life stresses. We walked in the mall together when it rained. We walked weekly through the pain following her mother's death and unsuccessful fertility treatments. We drove together to and from Galveston for a bachelorette weekend, talking and walking along the beach.

We walked, hugged, and celebrated together when, at last, she had a VERY EXCITING (!!!) successful fertility treatment. We paused our walks for many months last year as was scientifically suggested for our health. We eventually resumed walking together as we wore masks and kept our distance, putting on hold our once comforting hugs. We walked together as her stomach grew larger and her stride got slower; all the while I had to keep my distance and not show physical love to this beautiful changing mid-section in her body. In October of 2020, I dropped off food and cards for the new family of 3 after beautiful baby James was welcomed into our world. The Grimmers affectionately call him, "Jimbo," but you can see why I am sticking with "Babby Jams" as my go-to nickname.

Throughout our friendship, I have truly appreciated Barbra for getting to know me as a whole human and not just as a mom. Even still, she knew how badly I wanted to grab and snuggle and squeeze her baby boy, but couldn't. After a bit of maternity leave, our walks continued, this time with her pushing the stroller, still distanced and masked (with the added challenge of this selfish baby lover keeping hands to myself).

On the 3-year-anniverary of her mom's passing, May 1, 2021 - the true inspiration behind this blog post - Barbra and I had both become recently vaccinated from COVID, and she asked if I wanted to enjoy a brunch together in lieu of a walk. And just about EXACTLY 3 years from the time I first met this beautiful woman (inside and out), struggling to become a momma, I FINALLY held her baby boy for the first time at 6-months-old. We remembered mom; we celebrated Barbra and her baby; and we HUGGED. And I grabbed, snuggled, and squeezed her baby boy!!!