Name:
Cathi
Status:
Dreaming of the mountains...
Who is Granny?
I'm the incredibly blessed mother of 9, "Granny" to , and wife of "The Papa," the knight-in-shining-armor whose loving support has made it possible for me to stay home and give my life to mothering, homemaking, and 26 years of homeschooling. Life at Granny's House is full of laughter, friendship, books, music, lively debate, writing, and good things to eat. My days are made even more meaningful by coming alongside other moms, giving them the support and encouragement that I lacked as a young mother and helping them to network with each other in ways that strengthen homes and families. A few times a year I board a plane to visit my "away" kids, to attend the birth of a grandchild, or to enjoy some lazy days with my best friend, but I always love coming back to...Granny's House.
My Complete Profile
August 15 - SAC Day begins
August 16 - Sam is 7!
August 20 - Kristen's birthday
August 30 - THE WELTYS ARRIVE!
Sept 3 - FAMILY PICTURES
Sept 3 - Chris' birthday
Sept 5 - Henry is 9!
Sept 7 - Isaac is 10!
Sept 17 - The Papa's birthday
Sept 23-30 - Granny and Papa go to Hawaii
Sept 26 - PawPop is 88!
Sept 29 - Tim is 15!
Oct 2 - Cheyenne's birthday
Oct 4 - Liam is 5!
Oct 7 - John Caleb is 17!
Oct 18 - Tony's birthday
Thursday, August 24, 2006
If you need a little encouragement to get (and keep) the kids reading, this should do it:
Writing Off Reading(hat tip: Tami S.)
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Well, I didn't get anything posted while away, but now that everything is unpacked, mail opened, laundry done, it's time to reflect and enjoy the memories. Our time in Virginia and the trip there and back were (mostly) fabulous...just long enough not to feel rushed and short enough to make the leaving hard. There were tons of laughter, lots of hugs, lots of singing and story-telling and book-reading to the elves, seen above being totally enthralled by Papa's song. [A side note: you can see from the picture why the youngest grandchildren refer to their grandfather as "Black Papa."] Granny and Papa are amazingly blessed to witness a new generation being raised to honor the Father and love each other. In a few weeks I will return to be with Kristen as we welcome a new little one, the "dozenth" grandbaby. The circle enlarges: there will never be too many...
Friday, August 04, 2006
We've all seen and noted it...the changing nature of childhood in our country. We send around emails that muse about how all of us parents could have survived into adulthood without car seats, foam playgrounds, and chickenpox vaccinations. But many of the changes in childhood have far-reaching consequences that we don't spend enough time thinking about. Here's a very good article on this topic...I don't necessarily agree with every implication, but I appreciate the thrust of the piece and the chance to think carefully about how and why childhood is changing and what it means for tomorrow's adults.
Psychology Today: A Nation of Wimpshat tip: Dina W.
All of Granny's grandkids are together in Virginia right now, and we are headed out there (yes, on the road) to be with them and have a good visit with ALL our children and grandchildren at once. Nothing makes Papa smile as much as having everyone together under one roof for a while, no matter HOW crazy it gets. He even smiles in his sleep...
I hope to blog a couple of times while we're there and let you know how we're holding up, 25 of us in very close quarters! We can hardly wait!
"...Tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done....that the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children."
~Psalm 78:4-6
"The vanity of being known to be trusted with a secret is generally one of the chief motives to disclose it."
~Samuel Johnson
[Oxymoronica, n., A compilation of self-contradictory terms, phrases, or quotations; examples of oxymoronica appear illogical or nonsensical at first, but upon reflection, make a good deal of sense and are often profoundly true.]
Oxymoronica, Mardy Grothe
Some Sing, Some Cry, Ntozake Shange, Ifa Bayeza
English Society in the Eighteenth Century, Roy Porter
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, Ann Voskamp
His Word in My Heart, Janet Pope
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi
Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God, John Piper
Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, Joshua Foer
Blue Shoes and Happiness, Alexander McCall Smith
The Red Queen, Philippa Gregory
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, Eric Metaxas
The Confessions of Saint Augustine, St. Augustine
Complete Poems and Selected Letters of John Keats, John Keats
Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell
Words That Work, Frank Luntz
NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children, Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
Poke the Box, Seth Godin
Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It, Gary Taubes
A Patriot's History of the United States, Larry Schweikart and Michael Allen
Song of Saigon: One Woman's Journey to Freedom, Anh Vu Sawyer
The Artistic Mother: A Practical Guide for Fitting Creativity into Your Life, Shona Cole
The Politically Incorrect Guide to English and American Literature, Elizabeth Kantor
The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, David McCullough
"Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were a present far too small...
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life,
my all!"
