tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81808330683344930372024-02-07T22:09:17.758-08:00The Savvy Grandmother - Generation G Grandmothers Make A DifferenceGeneration G are grandmothers who are seasoned, savvy, sophisticated, sensitive, and silver. A savvy grandmother is one who balances family, generations, career, interests, and grandchildren and lives to tell about it. This blog is full of ideas, stories, and thoughts for the 21century grandmother who is active and wants to make a difference in the life of families and in the world. www.martynorman.com, http://martynorman.blogspot.commarty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-52775261405964996892009-12-01T08:35:00.000-08:002009-12-01T08:39:41.747-08:00On The Road Again<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLgs3og-mYQPiBzG2dnb4cfHwrO72BKc00UbEViXYw5qbRPlHEO9Dvrbq6a3lmQ_anM13XAhWRL9_a2o8Vo4yGLp1GG5FxaClPd9gEnI2ut90LId9Xt5V-jmPmy3t71soRkn-Xzn6R9c/s1600/IMG_6017.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPLgs3og-mYQPiBzG2dnb4cfHwrO72BKc00UbEViXYw5qbRPlHEO9Dvrbq6a3lmQ_anM13XAhWRL9_a2o8Vo4yGLp1GG5FxaClPd9gEnI2ut90LId9Xt5V-jmPmy3t71soRkn-Xzn6R9c/s320/IMG_6017.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410308312407271074" /></a><br />On The Road Again<br /><br /> He is at it big time - Baby Hodge has started crawling. Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, Route 6 has nothing on him. Hodge is on the move. If you value your life or your coffee table accessories you better be one step ahead.<br /><br />I’ve either never seen anything like it. Maybe I’ve just forgotten the particulars about the crawling stage, but whew, this bundle of energy demolishes everything in its path. An eight-month-year-old hurricane, he packs the winds of Katrina and Ike combined. He has been know to blow through a house before one can say “supercalifrajulisticxpalidosis”. <br /><br />Recently at Thanksgiving, I was watching, really watching him, and I marveled at God’s goodness. It appears that God created babies so that we, adults, can see ourselves and our spiritual walks in their little bodies. Precious beyond belief, there is nothing Hodge can or will do that will cause me to disown or leave him. I delight in him. His world is an adventure of discovery. He wants to taste, eat, smell, and experience everything in his path. As parents and grandparents teaching him right from wrong, what is dangerous and healthy for his well-being are part of our responsibilities as parents and grandparents. <br /><br />That’s how God is with us. Without a relationship and the word of God, as his children in adult bodies, we run around causing chaos and destruction at every turn. Our own little bumper car derby, we put our hands in more pies than we dare to admit. Aren’t we lucky that we have a loving father that picks up after us. And even more so, he saves us from ourselves before we crawl in the fish pond or a burning fireplace. Often is the time that he pushes the things of value out of reach until we are mature enough to handle them.<br /><br />As Hodge’s wind is tamed by the love and oversight of his parents and grandparents, so, too, are our winds tamed by God in the form of the Holy Spirit himself who leads, guides, directs, and disciplines us as we crawl and then run along the highway of life.marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-20158939953872149312009-11-28T18:19:00.000-08:002009-11-28T19:04:32.637-08:00A Santa Story - Author UnknownI remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"<br /><br />My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.<br /><br />Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted.... "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."<br /><br />"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my Second World-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.<br /><br />I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother,but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.<br /><br />For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school,the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar<br />bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.<br /><br />"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change,but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry <br />Christmas.<br /><br />That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever <br />officially, one of Santa's helpers.<br /><br />Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going." I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.<br /><br />Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were, ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.<br /><br />I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.<br /><br />May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care. And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus! <br /><br />Merry Christmas!marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-56421547026764529522009-11-16T09:46:00.000-08:002009-11-16T10:56:39.698-08:00Isn't This The Cutest Ever!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERXEP_Fo1QtlLjD83iUyPS5dKg6bKwjouS9hWeYDlXkhwXyHV2SjtiJOrxo1aPAN1zALDj9jw5Vw292rSh1znMA8JtSKZTHsaiaZ_F1t6H0zxzhCc5t3lkpTTxYvGD5ahtdPWLNjixvE/s1600/img059.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 256px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERXEP_Fo1QtlLjD83iUyPS5dKg6bKwjouS9hWeYDlXkhwXyHV2SjtiJOrxo1aPAN1zALDj9jw5Vw292rSh1znMA8JtSKZTHsaiaZ_F1t6H0zxzhCc5t3lkpTTxYvGD5ahtdPWLNjixvE/s320/img059.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404766727248738482" /></a><br />This is my granddaughter Lily. Isn't she just about the cutest bug you ever saw? She's standing on her front porch in what I assume she's in her Halloween costume. But whatever the occasion, she sure caught my heart. <br /><br />Last year Jim and I went down to Ausitn to celebrate Halloween with she and her two brothers. What a blast. They live in a neighborhood that is teeming with young families and children, not unlike the area where I grew up in "the olden days". Young families, young children, lots of laughter and good friends. <br /><br />We didn't go to Austin this year so Lily sent me this picture. I didn't ask why she was wearing a bug on her head but I sure hope it was part of her costume? If not it should be. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall to see her ringing doorbells in that get up. <br /><br />This year instead of traveling, we opted to stay home and give out candy at our own front door. I didn't wear a costume, but we still had the most Trick or Treaters in years. Seems the holiday is making a comeback, or more likely, my neighborhood is turning over and more young families are moving in. Oh dear! That's good news and bad news. The good news is that we are in a popular neighborhood; the bad news is people my age are moving out. The unanswered question: where are they going? Unfortunately the answer is either they are scaling down, have moved to the home or permanently reside in the cemetary. None of those options sound good to me. <br /><br />Needing more information, I researched, asking one man why there were so many trick or treaters this year. His response. "Haven't you heard? This is the best street ever. I got a message on my cell phone to come here. Almost every house has a light on!"<br /><br />Now who would have thought it? I am in the middle of things and didn't even know it! So I'm sticking here for the time being. Maybe next year I'll borrow Lily's bug and be my own bug on the wall. I bet I'm not as cute but, hey, if you don't try, you'll never know.marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-78016494948838859772009-10-31T10:17:00.000-07:002009-11-24T13:59:50.083-08:00The Greatest Show On Earth<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVsZ39h1vI86olEPl7RwLKg7paPHejL-ajqQP76_RXvitqYD2PZmwPQbE5ejZT1D5H6ULicpsjqQ9dTj-p4omjEW420VQcYlDKzj5fogyL3oqdYnLcJeNplT_iFYGkRKnrqy0EAiLWoI/s1600-h/IMG_5782.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVsZ39h1vI86olEPl7RwLKg7paPHejL-ajqQP76_RXvitqYD2PZmwPQbE5ejZT1D5H6ULicpsjqQ9dTj-p4omjEW420VQcYlDKzj5fogyL3oqdYnLcJeNplT_iFYGkRKnrqy0EAiLWoI/s320/IMG_5782.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398820989503102354" /></a><br />Last year I took Strother to the circus when he was two. Ever since, he has been asking me, on a weekly basis, to take him back to see the animals. I've had to wait a whole year to grant his request.<br /><br />Now I don't know what it is about little boys and the circus, but they're all over it. The more lions, tigers, and elephants, the better. So when I saw the sign advertising the Shrine Circus I couldn't get to the ticket window fast enough.<br /><br />Not to worry that I had plans to be on vacation. I only had a one afternoon window to get it in. You can bet I was not going to take a chance on it being sold out.<br /><br />No worry there. Saturday dawned cold and rainy, but we were not to be daunted. Putting on our jackets and rain gear we sludged our way to the big top. It's not really a big top, it's in the colesium, but we pretend it's a big top. Weighted down with bottles of water for dehydration, purell for protection from the H1N1, a darth vadar sword to turn on when the lights were out, and cotton candy to give us a sugar high, we made our way to the center ring. <br /><br />This year I outdid myself. My seats were perfect. As the circus parade began I looked around. The stadium was probably half full but the enthusiasm of the children was on full throttle. From an adult's perspective, the costumes were dingy, the animals lacking, and the scarcity of acts and performers appaling. It put a pallor on the whole afternoon. <br /><br />But from a kid's perspective, it was the greatest show on earth. Strother hooped and he hollered. He laughed and clapped. Turning his darth vadar sword off and on at appropriate times, he "oohed" and "aahed" as each animal passed by. He cheered each performance with the exhuberance of an olympic gold medal run. To him it was a great success.<br /><br />Big top or small top, colesium or tent, kids like a circus. They don't see what we see. They see what they want to see. Through the eyes of a child, the circus was a great success, truly the greatest show on earth!marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-34784132106843683802009-10-21T09:32:00.000-07:002009-10-21T15:50:15.125-07:00A Hodge - Podge Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQCFcd2kAyqZ6jcMNi9Kbt5Jk6grjNl5cHjN0BCb4bkLLT5SSbOdJ7aqRaNGZzXiVPs6lrVzILFMvfehNNl8XUAP6vyUzwFHDtk6svSSRfR5JdevBf8MWI-4emQSxnkDuh7HPx3U_m-o/s1600-h/IMG_5656.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQCFcd2kAyqZ6jcMNi9Kbt5Jk6grjNl5cHjN0BCb4bkLLT5SSbOdJ7aqRaNGZzXiVPs6lrVzILFMvfehNNl8XUAP6vyUzwFHDtk6svSSRfR5JdevBf8MWI-4emQSxnkDuh7HPx3U_m-o/s320/IMG_5656.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395186134531390834" /></a><br />Recently I had my 5th sip and see for my 4th grandson. The 5th grandchild to have a party over a ten year period, I had almost run out of steam. After four previous celebrations, ten pounds and ten years, it took a lot more energy to get me motivated. <br /><br />Note that the operative word here is almost. I gutted up and got moving when I realized that time was running out. At six and a half months, he was already sitting up,thinking about crawling. It was time to bite the bullet. If I didn't get on top of it, he would be leaving for college before I knew it. Lucky for me I got on the case in the nick of time.<br /><br />Weighing my options I remembered the precious baby announcements my daughter-in-law had given to me to send out to my friends. They were still sitting on my desk. Not one to waste a thing, I concluded that saving money on stamps and envelopes was my first priority. Thus came the brilliant idea of sending out the birth announcements and invitation in one fell swoop. I rationalized that this was a much more personal agenda than the evites that were filling up my inbox.<br /><br />The theme "a hodge-podge day" came into my mind. The baby was named Hodge because his parents thought it sounded really good with Strother, his brother's name. The real reason, of course, is that pulling the whole thing together in one afternoon felt like a hodge-podge to me. I did print up styrofoam cups in blue that said "A Hodge - Podge Day - anything goes." A great hit with the younger crowd.<br /><br />Everything came together beautifully in spite of my slow start. Hodge was precious of course, smiling and cooing on cue, enjoying the limelight as he showed off his sitting and hand/knee coordination. I couldn't have been prouder.<br /><br />Lesson learned. Don't put off today what you can or should have done yesterday. If I had not taken the bull by the horns, little Hodge would have been the only grandchild without a Marme welcome to the world. And that would have been a "hodge-podge" travesty. <br /><br />Welcome to the world little one. We did it!marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-82888475685023236652009-10-07T15:48:00.000-07:002009-10-08T10:36:52.954-07:00Is Three Really A Crowd<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVDXdZW_Nu-woyymg9CZQxKVWYijuhKb6VdbTcuD5d_euo5HG_f54BZ1I-BiT5iirFUkqwkV2BPM0-KpVBwVx6rOhonTKTXI8IXPJhxbpZqOVLVz13thiPMcHrvuwIvKeVP21kQvumlw/s1600-h/san+antonio+-+marme,lily,james.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXVDXdZW_Nu-woyymg9CZQxKVWYijuhKb6VdbTcuD5d_euo5HG_f54BZ1I-BiT5iirFUkqwkV2BPM0-KpVBwVx6rOhonTKTXI8IXPJhxbpZqOVLVz13thiPMcHrvuwIvKeVP21kQvumlw/s320/san+antonio+-+marme,lily,james.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390284449564088034" /></a><br />You've heard it said that two's company, three's a crowd. <br /><br />I don't know if three's a crowd, but I do know that recently I sat my three grandkids 10,8, and 5, while their parents were on vacation. Let's just say that "Eight Is Enough" says it all. <br /><br />Not that three was too much. But three takes a lot more energy than two. Now I know why God created the menapause plan. It's his way of protecting children from us women as we age. <br /><br />Usually I keep my grandkids one at a time and do really well. Sometimes I keep them in pairs and that works too. But this time I got the big dose of three. Let's just say three triples your pleasure and triples your fun, not to mention triples the workload till it's overflowing. I don't see how mothers do it. <br /><br />Getting ready for school in the morning is a full time job. Lucky for me that my daughter-in-law is super organized. Filling backpacks, drink glasses, homework folders and more takes a home efficiency expert. Cooking in someone else's house is like moving to a new home yourself. You remember. Wandering around the kitchen looking for where you might have put something -then finding it in the most unexpected place. Why it took me three days to figure out how to run the dishwasher. It's a good thing I'm creative. I discovered that coffee cups are a good substitue for measuring cups, and scrambled eggs cook really well on the pancake griddle. By the grace of God, everyone was dressed, bathed, teeth brushed, homework filled, and made it to school on time with snacks to boot<br /><br />As for the after school activities. My son who is a whiz at the computer typed up all their activites by date with corresponding maps to follow. By the mirale of technology we made every appointment, soccer practice, soccer game, tumbling practice, birthday party, play date and more. Whew - makes me tired to think about it.<br /><br />But would I trade these six days for the peace and quiet of my own home? Not on your life. Being an eye witness to the loving home they are growing up in and the lifestyle they live every day is a blessing that can't be counted. And the best of all, for a moment in time I was given a beautiful glimpse into the windows of their heart. Watching 5th grade Jack raise the flag and lead the pledge of allegiance as a patrol boy, experiencing Lily's first skating party, sharing ice cream and praying with James at the end of the day are memories I wouldn't trade for all the tea in China.<br /><br />Is three a crowd? Not really - It's a page in the memory book of the heart of this very tired, but very grateful grandmother!marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-12586149582947290762009-09-29T15:50:00.000-07:002009-11-20T07:49:17.742-08:00Anyone Can Be A BloggerAnyone can be a blog. At least that's what I'm told. Just get a topic, write about it often, find some followers, lead an interesting life and you're set. Sure - easier said than done.<br /><br />Recently I read two books about bloggers and saw "Julie and Julia" the movie. The books were random selections, the movie intentional. I was so taken with the concept that I vowed to radically change my mindset and dedicate myself to what I love most, writing and grandchildren. How hard can it be? In the movie Julie vowed to blog daily and to make 524 recipes in 365 days. Now that's dedication. I figure if she can do it so can I. After all I have more years on board, which hopefully means more wisdom and surely means more experience.<br /><br />Let's start with the wisdom part. Already I know writing a blog a day is too big a goal for this grandmother of five. Wisdom 101 has just kicked in. So I'm setting a goal of a minimum of one blog a week with a maximum of two, with permission to skip a week here and there for R&R. I think I can handle that. Giving myself permission to set limits limits is a big key to success, so I'm already on my way.<br /><br />Now for the experience. Previously the queen of multi-tasking, I find it's easier nowadays to concentrate on one or two things and pack the other things away till later. Days are fairly quiet at my house now, though balancing husband, career, grandkids, mom, and friends sometimes keeps me hopping. Surely adding one more thing to the mix shouldn't be too hard. <br /><br />So on your mark, get set, go. Generation G is now in session. Keep your fingers crossed. You'll know I'm anyone when I call myself a blogger.marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-89472861162325036432008-12-01T10:16:00.000-08:002008-12-01T11:05:03.650-08:00Thanksgiving - More Than A Few Blessings<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTqnzoO1WWlsyBn8wh8U6ByIL2sUM_4YO4e_1po2esvWe1zY7E1xiRM3Hjly9KkW1krremNDOr806pyT0n01-2QXHm97c1P31Q26VOy_0dVEMnr3mJVndhfynZdv2yasvWmOA6AHDIFU/s1600-h/T'giving+whole+family+2008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinTqnzoO1WWlsyBn8wh8U6ByIL2sUM_4YO4e_1po2esvWe1zY7E1xiRM3Hjly9KkW1krremNDOr806pyT0n01-2QXHm97c1P31Q26VOy_0dVEMnr3mJVndhfynZdv2yasvWmOA6AHDIFU/s320/T'giving+whole+family+2008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274895037155038690" /></a><br />Thanksgiving has come and gone. But, oh, what a thanksgiving it was! <br /><br />Four grandkids, six adults, and three dogs (one a puppy, two days of rain and a thanksgiving meal for eighteen made for a most interesting weekend. Five days of commotion, five days of blessings. In taking stock of the time, I know why God created menopause. I have no idea how I did it before, but there is no doubt, I am glad to be a grandmother now. There's not enough energy in me to go more than a few days. The energizer bunny just wore out! Continual motion mixed with chaos, laughter, and bedtime stories and prayers makes for a grandmother's dream. Whew! It's enough to make my head spin.<br /><br />Commotion first: <br />My dishwasher has never had it so good. I must have run at least three loads of dishes a day. The refrigerator was packed to the gills -seven servings, three times a day kept my head spinning.. Add to that more than a few loads of wash, a trash bag of dog pooh, and refilling the dog bowl no less than five times a day! Where in the world did they put all that water? <br /><br />We played golf, tennis, watched football, had a treasure hunt, went to the park, walked the dogs around the block, bowled, played dominoes and go fish, went to the museum, had our hair glittered, went to the movie, raked the leaves, and slept. Whew - makes me tired writing about it.<br /><br />Surprise blessings:<br />But in the midst of all that activity there were moments that just melted a grandmother's heart. Surprise blessings - too many to name, but here are a few of my favorites:<br /><br /> - My 9-year old grandson said he loved the Thanksgiving meal the most -we were <br /> all together at one table.<br /> - My nephew flew in from Alburquerque because he misses the family.<br /> - My 85-year-old mother and 83-year-old aunt graced our table with memories of<br /> our heritage.<br /> - Watching my g'daughter's eyes at the beauty salon where she had a special <br /> "glitter do".<br /> - Listening to my 4 year old g'son say the blessing for my 2 year old g'son at <br /> the kid's table.<br /> - Saying prayers every night with each child thanking God for their unique <br /> personalities and the blessing they are in my life.<br /> - Having my two wonderful daughters-in-law who are such great cooks help.<br /> - Watching my sons as they father and mentor their children.<br /> - Taking the adults to an adult only dinner and sharing our lives with one another<br /> - Thanking God that my 85 year old mother is so amazing that she babysat the three<br /> oldest while we ate dinner.<br /> - Watching my husband take the two middle grands to see Santa downtown.<br /> - Seeing the youngest so excited to play with his cousins. His ability to keep up<br /> was amazing.<br /> - Playing Go fish with my four year old grandson. <br /> - Raking leaves and sharing hearts with my nine year old in the back yard.<br /><br />Yes, it was an amazing Thanksgiving. God was everywhere, and his blessings brought it all into perspective. My father who has been gone ten years and my uncle who passed away last December were sorely missed. So was my brother and his family and my cousin Susan and her family. But it is what it is. <br /><br />Would I change a thing? Not on your life!marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-33408158959822911172008-11-21T09:59:00.000-08:002008-12-01T11:04:05.189-08:00Get Ready For Surprise Blessings<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAonX41WtZQCQixkVIlP96-Yok-DHIByXg8QIOZrdTMbx3DznAUtxd3CItTe2A2BEr3xMYxPKlh_YBBhQykkk5-vJmG5I4SUHvumW9vQDUrg8lQMfD3cHd_oqZ1prLTBjNPkmR7tYcs4/s1600-h/IMG_4271.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAonX41WtZQCQixkVIlP96-Yok-DHIByXg8QIOZrdTMbx3DznAUtxd3CItTe2A2BEr3xMYxPKlh_YBBhQykkk5-vJmG5I4SUHvumW9vQDUrg8lQMfD3cHd_oqZ1prLTBjNPkmR7tYcs4/s320/IMG_4271.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274899474173376722" /></a><br />Thanksgiving Day is a week away. I say fatten the turkey and full steam ahead! Time's awasting and I've got to get on the case if I'm going to be ready in time.<br /><br />I just love Thanksgiving. I think it's my favorite time of year. The trees are turning and the air is crisp. The firewood is neatly stacked behind the garage; it just feels like a time to cozy in and spend time together. No matter that leaves need to be raked, flowers gathered, and napkins ironed. I love that as a grandmother I don't worry about those things nearly as much as I used to. What I really care about is just being together. <br /><br />When I think of the first Thanksgiving, I'm pretty sure that I would not have made a very good Pilgrim. Those people were hardy, tough, determined. They worked hard against insurmountable odds. I know that a part of me is spoiled and would never choose such a situation. And yet maybe, just maybe, if faced with those same circumstances, I might have been heartier than I think. I sure hope so. <br /><br />What I really love is that as a nation we have set aside a day to thank God for our blessings: our families, friends, freedoms, opportunities. What a great reminder that we live in the greatest country in the world. What a great time to take stock of our blessings and verbalize them to the next generation. <br /><br /><br />As the pilgrims gathered together to give thanks for their safe passage to the new world, their fruitful harvest and freedom, they also shared their thanksgiving festival with the Indians that had befriended them. What a great example of sharing our bounty with not only friends and family but with those that are put in our path.<br /><br />This year I will have Thanksgiving in my home surrounded by four generations of family. How lucky can one woman be? I confess I'm not so wild about shopping for groceries and baking those pies,cakes, and casseroles to freeze ahead. I sure miss my mother-in-law for she was the best at Thanksgiving. A small town woman, this is where she shined. She was so organized, effiecient, and determined that by the time we got there she had it all done ahead of time. <br /><br />But now it's my turn. As the matriarch of the family, passing down the tradition of hospitality and thanksgiving is one of my greatest honors. As I anticipate the celebration, I cannot yet imagine all of the things that will happen. The laughter and stories, the food that is mis-timed, the spilled milk and sticky hands. <br /><br />But I also can't anticipate the surprise blessings that will come in my path. That's what I am keeping my eyes and ears open for this year - the surprises. Who can anticipate them? Like a child in a candy store. I can't wait to report when it's over.<br /><br />Just as you can count on the sun coming up everyday, you can also count on blessings at Thanksgiving. That's what makes it so much fun. So happy thanksgiving and hang in there. After all the toil and labor, the best, the surprise blessings, are yet to come!<br /><br />Gobble, gobble, gobble. Can't wait, can you?marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-53091754558467583652008-09-15T09:16:00.000-07:002008-12-01T10:59:15.414-08:00Life Is Like A Zip-Line - Fast and Furious<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwjy1A5n00TOKKY1G2hEz11c-y4mWkWDTvUKh0GqK3r9_8Te-yP9JV5kaX00-4hqcRskbRTw3zKsurTXwJ9OQimHu_U1lsNI4dwb0o3Er6BvBDt7IZgXmOGSaVIgP3vBRtrocuQD2jZA/s1600-h/IMG_0388_2.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwjy1A5n00TOKKY1G2hEz11c-y4mWkWDTvUKh0GqK3r9_8Te-yP9JV5kaX00-4hqcRskbRTw3zKsurTXwJ9OQimHu_U1lsNI4dwb0o3Er6BvBDt7IZgXmOGSaVIgP3vBRtrocuQD2jZA/s320/IMG_0388_2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5274898206874397330" /></a><br />Last August my husband Jim and I went to Alaska. While there we did a zipline over the Alaskan Rainforest. Heights are not my thing but out of a sense of pride and andventure, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go for the gusto.<br /><br />What an adventure. <br /><br />Actually that's how my life is today - one zipline aftr another. Since the publication of "Generationg G - Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray," I have had no idea what to expect from one day to the next. I, therefore, decided to enter the world of blogging, a true zipline adventure of the 21st century. Right now I've just stepped off the platform, am in mid-air racing toward the first station. You might say I have just gotten my feet wet!<br /><br />Just like the zipline, my journey has taken me to many stations from Texas to Colorado to California. The best part of the adventure is that I am reconnecting with so many friends from the past from high school to college - to all seasons of my life.<br /><br />I am also meeting so many amazing women who are doing so many amazing things. Women with grandmother names like Grandma Purple, CC, Nellie, and Lovey. Each has a story. I am fascinatied by the histories of women and am hoping to gather these stories to one day and put them down on paper. We are all a product of our past - that's what makes us unique and wonderful.<br /><br />God has an amazing way of bringing things around full circle. Sometimes I feel like a blind man stepping into situations that are unknown and unseen, learning as I go. Radio interviews are a bit like that. Sitting in the silence, a voice comes over the telephone lines. You didn't see them coming, didn't know when they were there, but a beginning of an adventure. <br /><br />It is all very fast and furious and I have no idea where it is going but it has begun. I hope to enter posts a couple of times a week. I'm on the platform and am ready for the adventure. <br /><br />Hope you all have a blessed day. I am blessed indeed!marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-11018156815479004642008-09-15T08:45:00.000-07:002008-12-01T10:55:22.853-08:00Sacricial Giving - Africa RememberedOn the continent it is known as the “warm heart of Africa.” Internationally, it is known as the third poorest nation on earth. In the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, it is known as a companion diocese. To me, it is my family – brothers and sisters - dearly loved, in need of my help.<br /><br />Malawi, a country poor by material standards, is rich in heart. As a people of generosity, they bless my day and grace my life. Last year this tiny country suffered a famine of biblical proportions. It is estimated that between 4 and 5 million people in Malawi (population 11 million) were in danger of starvation. Yet not much was seen in the press regarding this famine. Thanks to international relief efforts and existing infrastructure, emergency aid was able to save many lives, but so much more could have been done. And Malawi is not alone in its need. This scenario is played out over and over in third world countries. One can’t help but wonder how such a thing could happen in this day and time. Everyday in America we discard countless amounts of food. We spend thousands on Halloween candy, millions on football tickets, and billions on Christmas presents while people around the world are dying of hunger? How can this be?<br /><br />When I reflect on the monumental task of feeding the hungry in Malawi and ministering to other third world countries, I become over-whelmed. After all, what can one grandmother do? Yet, that is the answer – one person, one grandmother - the power of one, the hope of the world. America is a land of abundance, so materially wealthy that most households have a car for every driver. Why then are we not able to transport food and support to these third world countries in their time of need? In a land where there are telephones in every home, cell phones in every hand, how can it be that we did not hear their cries for help? In a country where every household has a TV, why do we not see their pain and suffering? It is a mystery.<br /><br />I think the answer lies in sacrificial giving. As the wealthiest nation on earth, we are often the most generous. As a people and as individuals, we have poured out upon the victims of 9/11, the tsunami, Katrina, Ike. But we have poured out from our abundance not our poverty. We have supported numerous causes, individually as well as corporately, locally as well as inter-nationally. But to whom much has been given, much is expected. We need to give more – more as individuals, families, grandmothers, more to make the world a better place for the least of these. We need to teach our children and grandchildren to give. We need to learn to give sacrificially.<br /><br />That's where grandmothers come in. My goal is to learn how to give sacrificially as I address this need in Malawi and in other parts of Africa. It is not part of my make up, but I can make it so. My hope is that as a grandmother I will exercise the power of one to exhort my family and friends. I am not a well- known voice. I have no platform, no forum or support group. I am only a lone voice crying out to those who have ears to hear, a voice that has the potential to exhort others to act in the power of one. I pray that from my abundance, I will open my heart and give more. But more than that, I pray that I will begin to give at some cost to myself. It is estimated that $12 will feed a family in Malawi for two weeks. Think what a gift of $120 would do. Perhaps I can give up my weekly latte or cancel a standing lunch date. Maybe canceling the newspaper and sending that money to Africa would help.<br /><br />There are more nations in Africa than one can count on one hand that exist in extreme poverty. Their ears need to hear our compassion, their eyes need to see our love. Their hearts need to know we care. But even more than that. We need to know we care. Only if we give at some cost to ourselves will we truly experience a generous heart. Can we not do for the least of these? I think not only we can, but we can do so exceedingly abundantly.<br /><br />My prayer is that this year, as individuals, wives, mothers and grandmothers, we will give generously, sacrificially as a thank offering for our own blessings. May we give generously and then go a step beyond. May we as grandmothers go the extra mile and give sacrificially to those whom God has placed in our path. May we model and teach our grandchildren to do the same. This year I am exploring new ways that I might give to Malawi and am encouraging my family to do the same. What better way to demonstrate love than to offer hope to a world in crisis.marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-49857596272025899942008-09-15T08:40:00.000-07:002008-09-15T09:27:45.648-07:00Grandmothers Are The Queen of Do-OversAll of my life I have wanted to have a second chance – to undo or redo that which is broken, that which I messed up. Now for the first time in my life, I have that chance. <br /><br />Being a grandmother gives me a chance for do-overs, for healing the regrets of the past.Now don’t get me wrong. I can’t go back and literally redo that which I regret. But now I have the opportunity to try again without the hassle of rules and regulations. And I am loving it! Here are some of the do-overs I am currently experiencing.<br /><br />-No longer do I have to keep my house clean when the baby comes to visit. I drop everything to snuggle, kiss, play, sing, and hold him. The house can go to the dogs. Dinner can burn on the stove for all I care.No longer do I worry about nutritious dinners and snacks. If the grand kids want pizza, pizza it is. If they want to go to Luby’s, I’m on board. If the golden arches are calling, I respond.<br /><br />- No longer do I have to worry about how I look when I go to the park. This is a good thing, for with three grand kids under the same roof, I hardly have time to brush my teeth anyway. <br /><br />-No longer do I have to worry about bathing suits. In my book, whaling is in. Eight years ago you couldn’t have convinced me that I would ever put on a bathing suit in public again. But for my grandkids, the sky’s the limit. The good news is that there are some boundaries. Jumping off the diving board is no longer an option. But that’s a minor impediment.<br /><br />-No longer do I mind sitting at the park or the indoor mall until the children are finished playing. Watching them laugh and squeal as they climb make believe trains and mountains is better than reading John Grishom or seeing a Julia Roberts movie.<br /><br />-No longer do I have to hammer in table manners and repeat myself ad nauseum. That’s their parents’ job. Besides, it’s a miracle, I hardly notice anyway. I am too busy talking and enjoying them to take notice. But should the need arise, one word from me or my husband and it’s like magic. They pretty much turn in mid course. Or maybe we turn it mid course. Either way it gets the job done.<br /><br />-No longer do I have to worry about singing on key. I can sing to my heart’s content, as loud and as long as I want. My grandkids think I am the American Idol every time, the winner that is, and they continually request “She’ll Be Coming Round The Mountain” and “If You’re Happy And You Know It” again and again.<br /><br />-No longer do I have to dread bath time. It has become one of the most fun times of the day. Turning the water red or blue with a small tablet is a mystery. Watering invisible plants with a watering can a challenge; searching for boats underneath mountains of bubbles a game.<br /><br />-No longer do I have to spend wake less nights worrying about their well being. I can spend my time praying on their behalf. I can also use my time wisely to support their parents, encouraging and loving them, offering wisdom or suggestions only when asked.<br /><br />-No longer do I have to worry about showering them with love. I can't control it anyway. It just pours out of me like a flood, covering everything in its path, washing all tears dry, soothing every cut, healing every boo boo. Now I can laugh often, give more, and generally be present to any situation.If that isn’t a perfect do-over, I don’t know what is.marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180833068334493037.post-42733693165476599102008-05-26T10:39:00.000-07:002008-05-26T11:05:25.964-07:0060 And Loving itWho said that aging is a bad thing?<br /><br />Isn't the cheese that has been aged the best one? Don't we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for aged wines? Doesn't wisdom come with age?<br /><br />It is obvious that aging has its benefits. The problem is that the world does not recognize the wisdom that comes with added years.<br /><br />It is up to those of us in the know to tell them. It is up to us to show them.<br /><br />I can say with certainity that the 60-year-olds I know are pretty hip. Most are computer literate, email on a regular basis, have palm pilots and ipods. Many are going back to school. learning foreign languages, and getting new degrees. Some still ski, hike, bike, dance reguarly and are basically in really good shape. Most interestingly, most 60-year-olds have a vocabulary that would rival a grad student, common sense that brings sanity to confusion, and a living knowledge of history that needs to be told.<br /><br />So what's the big deal? Why does aging have such a bad rap?<br /><br />I think its because people just don't know. If they did - they would all want to be where we are.<br /><br />Look what we know. Look what we've experienced.<br /><br />There is not enough money in the world to make me go back. I love where I am now. I have two great sons, two amazing daughters-in-law, and four unbelievable grandchildren. My life is full. I work part-time and get to pick and choose my social activities. I don't do large luncheons or big meetings anymore. I just get to spend quality time with family and friends, doing what I love most, contributing in ways that were not possible before. What could be better than that?<br /><br />One of the best kept secrets of turning 60 is that we carry a plethora of life, joy, love, laughter, and experience in our containers. They are so full now they are close to overflowing. There is no greter gift than to pour ourselves out on our families, breathing life, giving hope, offering encouragement, being there for them through thick and thin.<br /><br />The silver generation needs to make itself known. To stand tall, speak up, and make a difference - to be seen and heard. With baby boomers coming of age, our numbers are increasing. We are a formidable force, indeed. Let's stand up and be counted. The positive ways we can impact the world are immeasurable.<br /><br />In this blog, I will address issues and challenges common to most 60-year-olds. My goal is to encourage those approaching 60 to hold our heads high. I desire to challenge us to think of how and where we can leave our mark on the world.<br /><br />Our first step is to quit buying into a negative aging mentality and be proud of where we are in life. Finding ways to mentor our children and grandchildren is vital. Identifying our passion and perfecting it is key to success. Building our faith, as we prepare a legacy to pass down to the fourth generation is what we are all about.<br /><br />The challenge is to accept who we are and embrace it.<br /><br />The 60's generation is on the move. I say, bring it on!<br /><br /><em>"Generation G - Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray" released March 2008</em><br /><em>thomasnelson.com, bn.com, amazon.com, martynorman.com</em>marty normanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382739311089493612noreply@blogger.com0