Jim and I will celebrate 47 years in August. We've lived lots of places (together and apart) but settled here in Alpharetta, GA over 20 years. Spent a year in KY after leaving the lake in our beloved Michigan, 8 years in MA where our kids grew up playing hockey; back to MI for a few more years.....always following writing and editing jobs for Jim. I've worked as a teacher or a principal wherever we lived.......but stayed put here when he worked for a few years in Aruba and then PA. I'd had enough moving! We traveled back and forth to be together.......I taught at the Int. school in Aruba in the summers and we all celebrated holidays together in those places. Great times and memories!
Our kids stayed in MI after college but moved here to Georgia after their marriages and grkids were on the way! Eight years ago, Treg and his family moved to the beach in CA for his job with Honda. Now we spend two months a year in Ventura in a rented beach house to be near the girls......ages 11 and 15. We keep bikes and storage tubs there and love being part of that commuity!
I retired six years ago when Tracy.....who had a 2yo boy....announced she was having twins! It's been a grand ride ever since! She has loads of degrees and loves being a career woman so I help with the kiddos whenever I can. Drew is 8 and Paige and Lane are 5!
Jim is retired as well....but now doing free lance work. His schedule is flexible, so we have lots of time to play and babysit and do fun stuff! Hardly time to notice we are over 65 and on Medicare! Yikes.......can you believe it? My mom passed away a couple years ago....but I learned from her how to age with grace and continual joy! We are all happy and healthy and blessed. Doesn't get any better than that!
Now tell us a story about you!
This has been linked to Grandparents Say It Saturday at familyhomeandlife.com
Congrats on 47 years. That is certainly an accomplishment. BTW - love that graphic! My story -- I have bounced back and forth between Michigan and California to finally settle in California for good -- unless somewhere along the line the kids move out of state -- and we would follow! Great story - thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for being such a great responder and fan! I just know you would follow that little sweetheart if they ever moved again! You and Grampy are both such an important part of her life! That's how it was with our oldest; they actualy lived with us her first six months of life....and then always nearby until the move! She and I share a special bond different than the others. Even as a teenager now, she still likes hanging with me!
ReplyDeleteDo you think she will ever have a little brother or sister????
No more grandchildren for us. While I would have loved to have had more grand kids to enjoy I completely support their decision to only have one child. I know there are times Amara wishes she had a sibling to play with but I also know she understands that she gets a lot of things she might not get if she did!
DeleteGreat story! You're so fortunate, as are the kids, to be able to move where they are (and not have to work the "career" thing anymore!).
ReplyDeleteWe likely will never move to where kids are because, with three kids, how do you choose which to follow!? I completely understand the urge, though. (And yes, I should never say never... especially if all three daughters moved to the same place!)
Thanks, Lisa! You're right....things change/never say never. When our son moved to CA I was devastated. Never dreamed it would become our second home after retirement! But a pretty pricey way to have as much time as we could with girls. We helped and nurtured when they were the Littles living nearby; now our daughters' kids turn.....and girls growing up. we're thinking things even out.....and that $ should go in their college accts now!!!
ReplyDelete47 years! That, as they say, is not nothing. I love your story. The changes, the moving, the bending when necessary - it reminds me of our own. Except that part about loving Michigan - I was born in Ohio so, you know... ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Bridget,
ReplyDeleteI just commented on your post today about Military kids! There are parallels with us for sure! I absoulutey understand about Ohio......right now we're in Go Blue Mode! HAHA Our SIL is from Ohio....a house divided with them! His mom and I bought twins OSU and MSU tees; took them apart and sewed the opposites together so kiddos would be wearing both. Of course that lead to spit up jokes....never ends!
Bending is a great word....we did and we do and the kids and grkids do. Wonderful isn't it?
Love, Joan/Gramcracker
Congrats on 47 years! That's quite an accomplishment. You've really had a lot of travel, too, which I'd love to do more of! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Loy! We love traveling both near and far! Plane, Train and Auto....wherever we choose to go! Usually to go see a grandchild....or with a grandkid in tow!
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking time to read my post! I appreciate your time and sweet words!
Joan/Gramcracker
congrats on 47 years! Yes that is a lot of traveling. I would follow my kids if they moved but then when you have 5.....you just hope they all stay put! I have told them we all move together or no one moves at all! Ha! So far so good :) So good to have you link up with us on Saturday.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting fun links parties! I like the name change to Say it Saturday......makes good sense, and u did indeed get more readers! Don't know if you see replies or my gramcracker page on FB, but i had a post/article published in More Mag .s online blog today!
DeleteYour kids are lucky to have you nearby.......they will definitely want to stick around!
Joan
Great story. Thanks for sharing it. 47 years, that's wonderful. I love being able to link up with fellow grandma's. I'm so glad to meet you :) and look forward to getting to know you better. Stop over and link up with me on Tuesdays at my weekly linky party called The Gathering Spot. Hope to see you there! My grand daughter just went home after a sleep over with us. Now it's time to enjoy some peace and quiet :)
ReplyDelete