Grandma Names - Revisited

I have been a grandmother now for just over three years. What a fun and joyful ride it has been. You always hear about how wonderful it is going to be, but sweet mercy, there is no understanding it until you experience it.

Back in 2008 when we were expecting our first grandboy, Tyler, I was mulling over what I wanted my grandma "name" to be. In my nearly 500 posts of blogging it has been my most searched and most read post. I still get emails asking me what name I went with.

I'm not suprised that this is such a popular topic. It is very serious. The grandma name you choose will be yours the rest of your life and it holds much love, significance and reverence when it crosses a little ones lips. It is a connection of hearts - one heart with just a few beats and the other with lots more mileage. It is a name that thrills you like nothing else the first time you hear it and indeed, every time after.

I knew I didn't want to have the traditional name "grandma". My grandchildren have many grandparents in their lives - blood and adopted. I wanted a name no one else would have and would set me apart so there would never be any confusion about who I was. Some people suggested I just go with Grandma Robin - which would work but I just didn't feel comfortable with having my grandchildren using my first name. Too formal I guess. Some folks told me to let my grandson pick my name out - nope, too impatient for that.

I ended up choosing "Mia". To me it sounded close to mama - my favorite name ever. It also was short and simple. I love the way it sounds. It is unique and special and everything I wanted. My husband is Poppa - although Ava Claire calls him Poppy more often than not. We are Poppa and Mia and we love feeling the sweet, close connection those special names imply.

I was a bit taken aback at the strong feelings people have about grandparent names. Some people just tell you to your face that it is "stupid" to have a name other than grandma or grandpa. Really? Some people refuse to use your grandparent name - that's okay. Other people love it and totally get it. Most often those are the people who can't wait to be grandparents. My grandkids are at the age where they are learning that grandparents are the parents of their parents and it's so fun to watch the confusion turn to understanding in their little minds. There is not a single doubt that they know us as their grandparents.

Here is a fun little quiz to help you decide what your grandma name should be. Click here and take the quiz and then let me know what it said. It's a good thing to start pondering this most special name early - and it's really the only time in your life you get to choose your own name!

Summer Daze

I don't think I could possibly love summer more than I already do. Dark doesn't come until after 10 p.m. and the days still aren't long enough to do all I want to do. The hobbies and activities of short, cold days are put aside and gardening, walking, enjoying the patio, filling the pool for the grandbabies, and watching the grass grow fills their place. Flowers, freshly mowed grass and hungry little goldfinches flitting around their feeder soothes my soul in ways nothing else can. I find myself occasionally thinking ahead to the cold and it makes me anxious so I cast those thoughts aside and decide to deal with them later. It's much to nice outside to let anything discourage me.

Our summer has been lovely. At first I didn't think it would ever get here. We had the coolest, wettest spring and early June - very un-desert like. But around the first of July it began to warm up and it has been perfect ever since. Since we enjoy all our free time in the back yard, we re-designed the front yard beds to be shrub only and moved all the flowers that require care to the back yard. It makes much more sense. The front yard maintains itself and I can be weeding and watering in the back where everyone else is usually congregated. It is also much more private and I have been known to be out watering in my nightgown with cup of coffee in hand. Pure bliss!

We took a wonderful two week vacation. We took a road trip and traveled across Idaho, Montana, the Dakota's and Wyoming. So much fun history to discover. So much beauty. There was a spot in South Dakota where I looked to the east and saw endless prairie, (I am such a prairie girl at heart), but when I looked to the west I saw hills and pine trees. I told my husband this would be the perfect spot to live because we would both be able to see what we love the most. Two weeks in a small car together with our little dog Willow was so much fun and at the end when we pulled in the driveway we looked at each other and said, "We should just back up and do that all over again." I think that's a sure sign it was a good vacation.

The babies are growing faster than the weeds. Tyler turned three years old. He is full of mischief, still thinks his poppa is the best thing ever, loves any sport and he totally melts my heart. His little brother Aiden is going to be one next month. He is the happiest little boy ever and in all the ways is brother is boisterous and loud he is observant and sweet. They got to go on a summer trip to San Diego and they loved the beach. Is there anything cuter than babies on a beach?













Sweet Ava Claire is my sweet and only little granddaughter. She often says to me "You are my GrandMudder". I say "Yes, and your are my granddaughter." She smiles and says, "I love you GrandMudder." And then my heart just turns into a puddle of mush and I give her anything she wants! LOL! I LOVE this picture of her - she was upset because she couldn't have any candy. Someone said "I would never give her candy if she looked like that"!


And sweet Ryan is already 4 months old. He has the biggest smile and the most beautiful eyes. He is at the age that he wants to do so much that his little body can't do yet so he gets frustrated. What a joy he is and he loves his big sister so much.




So, you see, life has been very good this summer. Lots of family time and traveling time and good old rest for the soul time. I'll be more regular at blogging again when the leaves begin to fall and the breeze turns cold. Until then know that I am good and well and enjoying all the gifts that God has given me!