Have a GRAND Summer! May 29, 2009

They are both clearly etched in my mind as if I was still a little girl.  Nannie and Granny were two of my favorite people.  I loved the way they looked, smelled, cooked, laughed and made me feel so loved.  I remember running my fingers over their wrinkles and asking Granny where “they” came from.  (I certainly know now!!)  I didn’t know my grandfathers, but my grandmothers were precious to me.  They still are even though they’ve been gone for decades.

Grandparent-grandchild relationships are truly special.  Perhaps you’re a grandmother who visits our little blog.  Or a mom whose children have one or more grandparents who provide the roots of your family tree.  Whether “grands” live nearby or across the country — Christians who share our values or unbelievers — keeping that tie is usually very important!  Here are some ideas for grandmothers and mothers to keep “grands” in touch over the summer.

Grandmothers:

• Offer to babysit so Mommy and Daddy can have a night out; and bring their favorite treats or maybe rent a movie (check with their parents first on this one…smile).
• Build a “fort” under the dining room table with pillows for “sleeping”, snacks and a book to read.
• Play dogs and use raisins or fish crackers and apple juice in bowls on the floor as the doggies food and water.  (Yes, get on all 4′s and lap it up with them!)
• Bake cookies together and enjoy warm ones with a glass of cold milk while others are baking.
• Call them just to ask how their day is going — whether near or far, grandkids love to get phone calls!
• Email them an ecard: there are lots of fun interactive ones at places like www.hallmark.com or www.happydaycards.com.
• Kids love getting mail!  Send them a card, note, McDonald’s gift card, simple gift….the sky is the limit!  (Again, even if you live closeby this can still be fun.)

Moms, help your kids to:

• Make pictures and send them in the mail.  Most grandparents LOVE refrigerator pics.
• Take some “grand” pictures with the kids doing different activities and with varying expressions (including goofy ones) to mail or email.
• Make a video of the kids telling stories, talking about their trip to the zoo or just greeting the grandparents.  You can even post this on utube if your parents use computers.
• Call and let Grandma and Grandpa hear their little voices.  I know how much this means to grandparents who live out of town — I’ve heard they LIVE for those moments!
• Train your children to warmly and affectionately greet their grandparents.  (Whether in person or just over the phone.)  Some children do this naturally while others need training.  Whether they see their grandparents regularly, occasionally or rarely, this is a simple way to honor their role in your children’s lives.
• Include grandparents in special events with a call or email:  getting or losing a tooth; riding a two-wheeler for the first time; sounding out the first word they read all by their self; crawling or walking; etc.

Perhaps you don’t have a close relationship with your or your kids “grands.”  If not, I’m thinking this must be challenging for you.  These kinds of little things can actually help to build a better relationship one little step at a time.

Whether you are close (relationally or geographically) or not, make this summer GRAND for your family!

Posted by Kayla, Wyatt, Annie, Danae, JJ, Elsie, Sam, Issac and “coming soon’s” Granma

The Look September 18, 2007

I arrived to the meeting eager to be with the church — AND to see Kayla.  As I recognized the stroller coming around the corner my heart lept.  Was she the most adorable little girl in the world?  (Hmm…didn’t I think the same thing the Sunday before?)  Before she was born I had no idea what being Granma would mean.  I was unprepared for the way my heart would swell whenever I saw her.  The longing I would have to hold her.  The utter joy I would experience at even the thought of her coming over.

You see, my children had Nannie.  My mom was the world’s best grandmother.  She loved her grandchildren with sacrificial passion and visible adoration. To me she has been the model to follow.  I wondered if I would ever be to my grandchildren what she was to hers.  Surely not.  You see, there was something very special about Nannie.  No one could ever fill those shoes.

My kids’ faces lit up and their eyes sparkled at the mention of Nannie.  To me, it was the "Nannie look." Before she moved in with us for her final years, whenever she would come over or we’d go to Uncle Jon’s house to visit her, they would hurry to be the first to greet her. Their faces would shine with love and joy.  I cherished the look every time I saw it…and I saw it a lot.

Kayla — my first grandchild — changed Sunday mornings for me.  Sunday has been my favorite day of the week since childhood.  But now there was an added bonus.  Each week I couldn’t wait to get to the meeting to see her…to hold her…to see what dress and hair barrette she was wearing.  We always arrive to the meeting before our married kids so that morning I was there waiting as I had every Sunday morning for more than a year.  Then I saw her.  But I wasn’t prepared for what happened. She saw ME!  Wait…and did I see "the look?" Her eyes were sparkling and when Mommy took her out of the stroller she started running toward me with outstretched arms as fast as her little barely-walking legs would let her. For some months prior I could tell I was becoming special.  "She loves me back," I would think at times, but this was different. It was the look!

Even writing this brings tears to my eyes.  I’m not Nannie.  Those shoes remain too big to fill.  But as I reached to grab and hug my beaming little granddaughter that morning I felt my heart would burst.  Could she love me the way my children loved Nannie?  Would she anticipate seeing and spending time with me the way they had with her?  Would she wiggle and shiver and smile from ear to ear when Mommy tells her she’s going to Granma’s to spend the night?

Since then I’ve seen "the look" on more little faces. Now I have several little ones who catch my eye on Sunday morning and make their way to greet Granma.  Recently Josh, my oldest son and father of two, told me he sees his JJ coming to love me the way he loved Nannie.  Wow.  So it’s not my imagination!!

Young moms, I know a secret.  Some of my grandchildren greet me with such warmth because they were trained to.  Perhaps your children are naturally warm and friendly and don’t need to be trained to greet their grandparents (or others).  But some of them probably need consistent training and role playing from Mom and Dad.  It doesn’t matter if they have to be trained or if warmly greeting others comes naturally.  I love the greetings, even when I know they’ve been shown how and reminded to greet Granma.  I respect my kids for doing such a great job training their children to greet me and others with warmth and respect.

Grandchild number 7 is on the way.  People are joking about us having to eventually rent a public facility to celebrate Christmas together once all 7 of our children are married and are having children of their own.  Oh, here come the tears again.  That means, Lord willing, I’ll enjoy more and more of the look. 

How can I thank you, Lord?

Posted by Sheree

Thanks, Pop and Sugar! September 17, 2007

Its is so funny that we are doing this series right now on grandparents.   

When my husband and I were first married we were easily able to make the 600 mile trip to visit family.  As the years went by and children were added to our family the visits became fewer.  I am grateful that my In-laws take the time and sacrifice to still come and visit us.  They have responsibilities where they live, but they are happy to lay aside for a visit for someones birthday or just because. 

They actually made the trek down here this weekend.  Already we have had a blast catching up and spending time together.  They were only here about five minutes last night after driving 600 miles before they were sitting on the floor reading books and laughing and giggling.  My mother-in-law even got up with a sick baby last night and cleaned up a messy crib over and over in the middle of the night. 

I am very affected this morning by their sacrifice.  Not only do they make the trip down here, but every moment is spent making memories and soaking in all the grandkid’s time they can.  Passing on different stories, talking about how the Lord worked in their lives ~ even telling the kids, "I remember when your daddy learned that Bible verse for Sunday school." They could have sat back once their son was married and just benefited from the investment they made in him, but no ~ they are now investing into two generations. 

I want to honor Pop and Sugar today, because really I feel like I am the one who benefits the most from the many years they poured into my husband and now continuing on by praying for and spending as much time as they can with our children.  What a blessing to have wise, godly grandparents to give great advice, to pray for you, to love your children.  I am truly grateful for the gift they both are.

Posted by Taraleigh

Let’s Talk about Grandparenting! September 10, 2007

You may not know that yesterday was "Grandparents Day."  Wow.  Hallmark has quite the advertising strategy, don’t they?  I don’t remember there being a Grandparents Day when I was growing up.  But I do remember enjoying every precious moment with my two grandmothers.

For the next two weeks we’d like to celebrate grandparenting.   You’ll read a combination of testimonies and musings about the role of grandparents in the lives of children.  And hopefully you’ll hear some helpful tips on how to teach your little ones to honor, love and respect their grandparents.  Oh, and since Debi and I are grandmothers, I’m sure you’ll hear from us on the utter JOY of being Nana and Granma.

But a word to those of you whose children don’t have the kind of relationship or contact with their grandparents that you might long for. We understand the challenges many families walk through on this issue.  Some grandparents have little interest in or interaction with their grandchildren.  Others love their grandchildren deeply but live too far to have an ongoing relationship with them.  Others are long gone, leaving children without the warmth and memories of having grandparents at all.  Still others are unbelievers who don’t demonstrate the Christlike character and biblical perspective that some of your friends enjoy — leading to temptations to envy on your part.

Whatever your situation, remember this:  God is in control.  He has placed you and your children in this grandparenting circumstance.  Whether they live nearby or far away, provide a compelling godly example or are antagonistic to your faith, remain alive or have died, are actively or only minimally involved in your children’s lives…God is sovereign!  Your circumstances are not a mistake, but have been lovingly and wisely designed by the One who has numbered the hairs on your head and caused the boundary lines of your life to fall in pleasant places (see Psalm 16).

So let’s talk about grandparenting and find comfort in the God-ordained situation in which we find ourselves…for His glory.

Posted by Sheree