The Front Porch Swing

:( That sucks. I am very sluggish today, I think it's the time change.
Yeah me too. I haven't adjusted to the time change yet.

I got a big chuckle out of reading the "gramma" posts, so bear with me while I resurrect it! Until my first grandchild was born 25 years ago I didn't know I could love someone else's kids that much! Six months later my other daughter had a little boy and suddenly here I was, 38 years old and grandmother to two amazing little guys, Jamie and Austin! I remember looking up at the sky and thinking, "God, what are you DOING? I'm only 38 and a grandmother?" Now I know - He knew I was going to end up raising two of them. We raised Jamie, our oldest, off and on from the time he was 2 years old and then when he was 10 we took custody of him and his little sister, Little Diane. Jamie is now married to an amazing young woman with a baby of his own and is a nuclear reactor operator on board a US Submarine. Our second grandson, born 6 months after Jamie, was killed in a car accident last year. He and his wife had only been married 9 months when the front axle on his car failed on the interstate. She was fine, but he didn't survive. Our granddaughter, Little Diane, is now 19 and doing very well living out on her own.

My son, his wife, and their two daughters, Katie (8) and Kendra (2 1/2 years old), live across the street from us, and my older daughter - the one who lost her son last year - lives two blocks down with her 8 year old son Evan. Kendra was born with Spina Bifida. God forgot to tell her she has a disability, and we aren't going to tell her either!

The hardest part of raising Jamie and Little Diane was not getting to be a "Coco Puffs gramma". A "Coco Puffs gramma" is one who, when the grands turn up their noses at meatloaf and green beans, gets to say, "Okay, I'll fix you some Coco Puffs...just don't tell your mom!" LOL Nope, I had to make them eat the meatloaf and green beans. They forgave me.

And the talk of memories is special to me. We take Evan and Katie to Yellowstone every year, and do all kinds of other things together. Even a simple trip to Billings to stock up on supplies is special when they are with us. I turn to them and say, "What are we doing, guys?" And in unison they chime, "Makin' memories!"

When we ordered the chicks, Katie and Evan, on their own, decided that Kendra would get to see them first. That plan was torpedoed when Kendra's doctors thought she'd be having surgery a few days later, so Evan and Katie got to see them first. But her doctor called and told us to let that baby see the chicks - and she was captivated. And now that I've probably worn out my welcome on the front porch, I'll scoot on out.
Welcome to the porch
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Hi Gldnrose ! We too are in the path of the storm. Supposed to start here Wednesday evening and last into Thursday. Weatherman says that we may be on the warm side of the storm and get rain... Here's hoping. I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Where are you located ?
Its supposed to start here Wednesday morning and go through to Thursday night. As of last night they have changed the amount up to 20 inches. All snow for us so far, the heavy wet kind. I am in Vermont.

Need major prayers for a situation with my husband's school funding. Thanks.

Michelle
Prayers being sent your way!

The power of this group is amazing! Thank you all for your support. and for helping me begin to regain my faith.
Our offer has been accepted - and baring any unforeseen problems - we are buying a house with a bunch of farm-buildings on 25 acres.
I am offering extra seating on my-soon-to-be front porch. :)
Yay! So happy for you. Congratulations and that is one beautiful porch!
 
Yeah me too. I haven't adjusted to the time change yet.

Welcome to the porch
frow.gif


Its supposed to start here Wednesday morning and go through to Thursday night. As of last night they have changed the amount up to 20 inches. All snow for us so far, the heavy wet kind. I am in Vermont.

Prayers being sent your way!

Yay! So happy for you. Congratulations and that is one beautiful porch!
Looks like there's room on that porch for all of us, doesn't it?
 
my wife's favorite quote:
"A woman is like a tea bag, you never know her strength until you put her in hot water" --- Margaret Thatcher (among others)

Praying for those who read and write on all of Bee's threads, that you, your children, grand children and great grand children learn to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
 
my wife's favorite quote:
"A woman is like a tea bag, you never know her strength until you put her in hot water" --- Margaret Thatcher (among others)

Praying for those who read and write on all of Bee's threads, that you, your children, grand children and great grand children learn to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
That reminds me so much of my Gramma Grace. She raised a family of "ear rubbers". Pull up a chair and pour a glass of tea and I'll tell you about it.

My beloved Gramma raised 13 children - only one a little girl. There were 3 sets of twins. I don't recall ever hearing her raise her voice, although Grampa could get kinda vocal! My biological dad and his twin sister were her very first babies. Gramma told Ken & me the story of them many times. Until they were born she didn't know there were two babies, they were born early, and they were so tiny nobody thought they would survive. When they were born Gramma's sister, who was also her midwife, wanted Grampa to take the babies to the nearest hospital. It was one of the few times Gramma ever defied Grampa. She was terrified that the doctors would decide they were too small and just allow them to die. She fashioned a sort of sling and "wore" them under her dress, one near each breast, so that they were kept warm and she could nurse them frequently. She would sit in her big rocker, stroke their ears, and pray for them while they slept. How heartbroken she must have been when my dad died in his 20's, after she sacrificed so much to save him.

She created an entire family of ear-rubbers! She would hold one of her grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, or great-great-great grandchildren and rub the exact same spot on the exact same ear of each baby. She didn't make a production of it-most people never noticed her doing it- she just held them and absently stroked that little sweet spot while she visited with the rest of the family. She told me that once, while she was holding Dad and his sister, Grampa teased her. "You're going to rub their ears off. Why do you do that?" She smiled at her thriving babies and quietly told him, "It's for those times when I'm not with them. I'm making a little path, so that when God talks to them, they'll be always be able to hear Him." We lost our special Gramma Grace June 26, 2010. She would have been 104 years old on her birthday, December 25th. She remained cheerful, alert and in full command of her mind until almost the end. She really didn't get sick, she just went home. What a wonderful woman she was, and what a legacy of
gentleness she left for all of her family. I know this is kinda long, but I just wanted to share.



2006 (I think) Me, Gramma Grace a few months from her 100th birthday and my granddaugher Katie, a few months before her first birthday. Yep, Gramma rubbed her ear too!
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Congrats on the grand babies and sorry about Bo. Grats on the new house I am so glad you got it =).

and on a more personal note I would give an arm and a leg to be able to afford this course
http://herbalacademyofne.com/intermediate-herbal-course/?ap_id=fresheggsdaily
Maybe you could ask for it for next Christmas, give him time to pay for it? I didn't look far enough to see the price tag but I did scan it and it looked quite interesting.

my wife's favorite quote:
"A woman is like a tea bag, you never know her strength until you put her in hot water" --- Margaret Thatcher (among others)

Praying for those who read and write on all of Bee's threads, that you, your children, grand children and great grand children learn to love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Oh, thank you so much... this warmed my heart!
 

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