What I've Been Up To...the Sequel

When I first started out blogging, it would have been well-nigh impossible for me to go a whole week without putting up a post.  I was a faithful daily blogger back in the day.  A frustrated writer at that point, I'd been storing up my musings for over 50 years--I had lots and lots to say!  When I skipped even a day, my loyal readers (you two or three know who you are!) would be all like, "Whaaat?  No post today?"

But skipping days or weeks in a row seems to be par for the course nowadays for this exhausted, jet-setting, Grammy--who is not only trying to keep up with the demands of a large and ever-growing, far-flung family, but now has TWO homes that require lots of TLC (and mucho elbow grease!).

(If this is your first time here, you are probably very confused.  But stick around for a while--or check out the archives, which are full to bursting with old posts--and you'll know what I'm talking about.)

So a week ago, I wrote a "What I've Been Up To" post, since I'd been AWOL from the blog for too long.  And now here I am again, playing catch-up.

Anyway, the biggest news I have for you concerns our newest grandchild, #6.  It's a boy!!  And his name here at the blog will henceforth be "Little Dude."

Our sweet little grandson made his grand entrance into the world on November 9.  His mom (Ginger) and dad (our second-born son) had just celebrated their first wedding anniversary on November 8.

Little Dude thoughtfully allowed them to enjoy a lovely anniversary date before making his imminent arrival known, and labor started that evening.  He was born in the wee hours, right on his due date (he is already a very obedient little son), after what his momma called "a very positive experience."   Isn't she a trooper?

I was up in NY when things started happening, staying overnight at our Oyster Haven VRBO house; and once I knew that Ginger was in labor, I had lots of nervous energy.  So I painted a bedroom while I waited to get updates.  Here it is all finished.  (It's not quite showcase-ready yet, but someday I'll show you what it looks like when the beds are made up and I've hung one more piece of artwork on the wall between them.)

This is the smallest bedroom in the house.  It's called "The Little Cherubs Room," because it's decorated with angels.  (We've actually sort of theme-decorated all the bedrooms and named them, and even had little brass signs made for the doors.  Corny?  Or awesome?)

Anyway, while I was busy painting, Ginger was working hard to bring her firstborn child into the world.  And then I got word at about 3:30 that an 8 lb. 1 oz. baby boy had been born.  My husband was over in Europe at the time, on a trip, but when he woke up to get ready to fly back over the ocean, he saw the news via a text left on his phone.

I drove back to NH, where I met up with my husband that night.  Then we took an early flight together the next morning to go down to VA and meet our wee grandson.  We could only stay overnight, because the very next day, my husband had to fly another trip.  But we are so thrilled that we got to hold him so soon after his birth.

This is not a biased Grammy talking, I swear: that little boy is utterly adorable!  He has a sweet little face, the beautiful face of a doll.  We are already so in love with him.

Wow, speaking of little cherubs!

And this sweet angel is the first junior in our family, named after his daddy.

I know the blogging world is populated with mostly young moms.  In fact, I've often felt that perhaps I am too much of a dinosaur to have thrown my hat into the blogging ring.  But if nothing else, I can share some of the joys of having grown children with the younger set.  I must tell you, ladies, that even though watching your nest empty out can be quite difficult at times, there is so much almost unbearable happiness to look forward to when your children are grown.  I can personally attest that there is not a more beautiful sight for a mother than to see the son she raised holding his own son or daughter.  Seeing your boys become fathers, seeing how much they love their wives and their children...it just doesn't get any better than that.

And being a grandparent?  Well, that's just pure joy.

Four and a half years ago, my husband and I welcomed our first grandchildren, identical twin girls.  And our lives were forever changed.  Now with the birth of sweet Little Dude, we have six of them, four girls and two boys--with another little girl in utero who will join our clan in February.  Our string of Pearls just keeps getting longer and longer, and it's just so wonderful and miraculous that sometimes we have to pinch ourselves to make sure we're not dreaming!

And you can be sure that we're already plotting our next trip down to see this adorable little fella who is the newest member of the clan.