Watching you grow!

Kaelyn, It was a fun time watching you grow in your Mommy's tummy. You were such an important part of our lives even before we could touch you. It was much the same then as now. Whenever we would go to dinner, we always asked "What does Kaelyn want tonight?" Your mommy always seemed to know what you wanted! Of course, that was after we knew you were Kaelyn. On Mother's Day that year, I received a great card that said, "Happy Mother's Day...... Love, Kaelyn Elizabeth Hampton." How exciting, a baby girl. There's lots of stories to tell about times between then and now, but you've just passed a most important milestone that I want to talk about today. You've started kindergarden!! I still remember the day when your Daddy started school. You and I have talked about it. He was just as precious to me as you. Some days I wish he was still a little boy, but then I wouldn't have you. He had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Evans. You've met her a few times. I'm sure your teacher, Mrs. Bryant is going to be just as great. Mostly because you are great. I know that Gramma has to get a little "mean" with you sometimes, but that's just a part of helping you grow up to be a respectful and loving young lady. You are a smart and beautiful little girl. Always remember that you are God's child first and you will be just fine. And as long as your Gramma is breathing, I will always be here for you, even sometimes when you may not want me to be. I love you so much, Sweet Pea. Have fun at school and "Stay Green".

The First!

It was February, 2002. It had been a really hard previous 6 months. Phillip had his heart attack in August with angioplasty & stent; another angioplasty in October, and quadruple by-pass surgery in January. He was back in the hospital for some minor complications. Regina called and said she was bringing Phillip a special gift to the hospital that evening. Could my suspicions be true? For many years I have had this sort of sixth sense thing going on and it had kicked in a couple of weeks before this. Now was it coming true? All arrived at the hospital. My Mom & Dad (nothing really unusual), Rodney (also not unusual), Kenny Ranallo had stopped by and then Regina's Mom and Grandmother came in. The anticipation was growing. There was a reason Chris & Regina had wanted all of us there. Regina handed Phillip a gift bag and he pulled out a "thermometer". I immediately suggested that he not put it in his mouth! I was the only one that without hesitation recognized it as a pregnancy test. Maybe because I was suspicious already, but once I identified it, all were immediately excited. Of course, Aunt Stacy and Uncle Michael had been told earlier. What an inspiration for Phillip to get well. Phillip was very excited and later confessed to me that he really must take care of himself so he would be around for the baby. Our love for this child was already strong and unconditional. Our lives were already changed.

My wish........

Paul Harvey’s Wishes for Children:

We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that we made them worse. For my grandchildren, I'd like better.

I'd really like for them to know about hand-me-down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meatloaf sandwiches. I really would.

I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car. And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy/girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what Ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove, and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your grandma/grandpa and go fishing with your uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Hanukah/Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you — tough times and disappointment, hard work, and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

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I'm not sure I agree with every little thing in this narration by Paul Harvey, but I sure think it carries a strong message. So many classmates and others in or near my generation are freeloading off their parents, robbing them of everything they worked hard for, are caught up in drugs, alcohol, theft, and on and on. I'm sure the statistics of this kind are getting larger because the population is getting larger, but where and how does it stop. Seems to be a trend that folks should not be accountable and pay the price for their own actions. I thank God that my children have grown up with love, sorrow, sadness, disappointment, love, hard work, punishment, love, pain, puppy births, pet deaths, love, friend deaths, relative deaths, love, and on and on. And yes, there is a reason love is mentioned more than once. Above all else, my children were always (and still are) blessed with the love of many, many friends and family. I've been accused of being too hard on them, too easy on them, too protective of them, too controlling, too lenient, blah, blah, blah...........and I plead guilty as charged. I'm sure I did some things right and some things wrong, but through the grace of God, family, coaches, pastors, fellow church members, teachers, and friends my boys turned out pretty darn good! They have chosen life mates I'm certain God led them to and are now blessing me with the most fantastic grandchildren in the world. I hope to share a bit of their lives and some tidbits from Gramma that I want my grandchildren to know as they grow up and their children grow up and their children grow up and their children grow up, long after their Gramma is gone. Be back soon!

In the beginning.......

I hope as this blog develops, you find it refreshing and inviting. Although life as Gramma can have it's ups and downs, it is the most wonderful life I can think of. I'll soon be starting at the beginning, (when we found out about Kaelyn) up to the current, and future.