Chandler, Arizona

I took my daughter Aleah to lunch, excited to hear the latest on her pregnancy. This was her first, and every day the anticipation was growing. “I was wondering, would you watch the baby after my maternity leave is over?” Aleah asked. “Todd and I can juggle our schedules so it would only be two days a week.”

“I can’t,” I said. “My calendar is filled with community and church commitments.”

Aleah sighed, resting her hand on her seven-month baby bump. “We will check into day care, but it’s hard with a newborn.”

“You’ll figure it out,” I said, refusing to feel guilty. My son and his wife had managed with my other three grand children. Didn’t Aleah realize I was done with child-rearing? I’d been a stay-athome mom for almost 30 years. I was ready to get on with my plans. Withorganizations were depending on me.