I have fond memories of my grandmother. She lived 500 miles away and didn't visit too often. In my teens and twenties, I visited her and thought she was a hoot. She played cards with her lady friends and taught me to play poker and Crazy Eights. She took me to my first baseball game (St. Louis Cardinals) and jumped the light to make a left turn before opposing cars could go. I learned the term "kangaroo court" from her during a trip from our house to hers. I wished I'd known her better. She died at 69, and I was 27. I still wish she'd lived long enough to see my children and husband and that they had gotten to know her.
Hubs and I moved three years ago to be close to our only (at the time) grandchildren. I wanted them to get to know us. I wanted to go to Grandparents' Day at their school and go to their dance recitals or flag football games. We've done all that and more. We have them spend the night while their parents have "date night." And when they have a snow day and their parents have to work, we welcome them to spend the day with us. I found a wonderful website (
My StoryMaker from Carnegie Public Library) that lets me share my love of writing and reading with them.
My son lives over 2,000 miles away and has a lovely daughter. Now we're the grandparents who live far away. Though she's still a toddler and our daughter-in-law sends daily pictures and videos, it's not like we get to see her in person. FaceTime is great, still not the same. Visiting for a month helps. Her happy face when she sees us just warms my heart. She runs up to us, grinning, and lifts her arms to be picked up. I can't resist. I'm mush. She's almost two and her favorite word is--you guessed it--no.
I love watching my son with her. She's got him wrapped around her finger. (Not saying she doesn't have Hubs and me around her other fingers.) Her other grandparents live close. They babysit when needed and get to see her often. Although we're here now, we'll have to leave her and go home. For now, I'll read to her before nap, or whenever, I'll rock her as long as she lets me. I'll enjoy the time we're here and eagerly await her visit in the summer. Maybe we can come back sooner???
The most important thing is I hope she'll grow up having fond memories of Hubs and me.
I grew up with my grandmother. We always lived close to her. She was an immigrant from Czechoslovakia. From her, I learned the importance of saving for the future and frugality. She died when I was 32, a year before I got married. She knew my husband, but I wish she'd lived to see me get married. She would have liked that.
ReplyDeleteWhat helpful skills she taught you. How wonderful you lived close to her. Like you, Cara, my Gram would've like to see me get married.
DeleteI grew up with one grandmother nearby and she was an awesome and wonderful person. My other grandmother was fabulous as well, but she live 1000s of miles away and we didn't get to be with her but a few times in my life. :(
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful you lived so close to your grandmother. At the same time sad that the other grandmother lived so far away. They are an important influence on us.
DeleteI'm sure your Arizona granddaughter will grow to love you! My grandkids have "nana and bapa" who live in South Dakota and they connect online when they're not together. But I love being able to do the Grandparent Day and back-up day care thing! I had one grandma who lived with us, and one grandma in Japan. This was before the internet, so I only knew her through pictures.
ReplyDeleteIsn't technology wonderful? I love being able to "visit" online. Not the same as being there but better than just pictures. Unfortunately is this age of emails, we (maybe just me) don't write letters. I found letters my mother kept from all those years ago. Love being able to read them.
DeleteI didn't grow up near my grandparents, so visiting them was a super-special treat.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt, too.
DeleteThis is sweet. When I was growing up, I lived in Florida and my grandparents lived in Michigan. I only remember them visiting twice. And back then, there wasn't any way to stay in touch like there is now. We didn't even call or write. So I greatly missed the presence of my grandparents.
ReplyDeleteThat is sad, Chrys. Even though Gram lived far away, she made the effort to stay in touch with us, despite the fact that she and my dad didn't get along.
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