Sunday, March 24, 2013

Grandchildren are the Greatest...

Today I became a Grandmother for the third time! Life just doesn't get any better than this. I've spoke often about my own Grandmother, who is now 96 years old, and about my two Granddaughters, Eva & Takeda, well today we welcome my first Grandson, little Johnnie. There is just something about Grandchildren that make life complete. At least for me they do.

Maybe it's because I have such fond memories of time spent with my Grandparents when I was young. Fishing in the creek with Grandpa and picking peas in his garden. Making Grandma's special Christmas cookies every year with her, or staying up late playing gin rummy with her, when my sister and I stayed overnight. Life was good at Grandma and Grandpa's house. I want to be that special place where my Grandchildren can come, when they need a break from everyday life. When they're older and homework is too hard, and daily chores are tiring, I want to be the place where they can come to unwind, pull up a chair at the kitchen table, play cards and make cookies into the night. I want them to eat the peas from my garden before I get a chance to cook them, take them fishing at the pond down the road, and throw all the fish back and watch them swim away. I want to help them find the wild berries in the yard, and hope we still have some in the quart when we get back to the house.

Yes, I love being a mother too, but lets face it, motherhood is harder, parenthood is harder. Mother's and Father's have the weight of the world on their shoulders with the day to day responsibilities. I love that I can take some of the load off my daughter and her husband's shoulders every now and then, and have the kids come stay with Grandma, for a night or two.  

Becoming a Grandmother came a little sooner in my life than I thought it would, but the way I see it, I get all these extra years of loving! Who couldn't use a little more of that? ;)

Happy Birthday little Johnnie, you have been added to my list of people to write books for! I love you!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Happy Birthday Eva & Dr. Seuss!

Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved Dr. Seuss books. Who doesn't? I think my love of poetry began by reading his books. It is not much of a surprise to me that I've spent most of my life writing poetry myself, and now writing my own children's books, because of Dr. Seuss.

I've written poetry on every subject I can think of, even some that I'll never publish, and some I publish under pen names. But writing for children is near and dear to my heart. Most of my children's books are dedicated to my grandchildren and the children I've known over the years in the schools I've worked in.

But on the day my first Granddaughter, Evangeline (Eva), was born, I knew I was on the right track, because she was born on Dr. Seuss's Birthday. To me it made perfect sense that she was born this day. I took it as a sign to stay the course and to never give up writing and continuing to pursue my dreams.

Being a grandmother, has given me the greatest joy and has shown me what love can really be. Of course I love my own children and being a mother, but being a grandmother is a new level of love, I didn't know existed. It's hard to explain, but other friends of mine who are also grandparents, understand. We give each other that knowing nod and smile, and have entered into a new phase in our lives, with the little ones at our feet. Eva is 3 today, she is a joy as well as her sister Takeda. The hugs I get from those girls last for days on end. And then I can go back for more.

So Happy Birthday little Eva, and to Dr. Seuss - thank you for filling my life with wonderful stories and poetry, there will never be another quite like you. You are my inspiration. And if my own books can touch even one child in a positive way, it will be because your inspiration is shining through.