Grandparents Share

	THE INTERVIEW			A great idea from Grandmother Idonna Snow who keeps a daily journal. Included in it's pages are semi-annual interviews which she does with her grandchildren. She's done this for years and now has quite an accumulation of each child's history. Twice a year she sits down privately with each grandchild and asks the following questions: 1. What is your favorite day of the week (Sat. or Sun. not allowed) and what do you do on that day - i.e. school, favorite class, favorite teacher, lunchtime activities, after school sports, the full day. 2. What kinds of clothes are you wearing? 3. What books are you reading? What are your favorite TV. programs and movies? What do you think of girls for boys, what do you think of boys for girls? 4. How do you feel about college or high school? Who are your friends, what are they like? How's life? 5. Anything else you want to add? She also records their height and weight and has them draw a picture of a special friend. All this goes into her journal, preserved for a posterity that Grandparents, the grandchildren and their parents will treasure.
	OUR NEW BABY			I was holding that newly minted, precious little boy, marveling at those perfect fingers and toes, the flawless skin, when my mind flashed forward to the teen-ager he would someday be. Would this perfect little body be covered with tattoos and piercings? Granny B.
	Joanie tambussi on becoming a grandmother for the first time			Every now and then we want to take this space to print some of the things we hear from you. We're starting with part of what Joanie Tambussi wrote for her church publication about becoming a grandmother. Remember those joyous moments with her. Our daughters voice had a sense of urgency. "Don't forget to meet us at 5 pm." Of course we wouldn't be late for our son-in-law's birthday celebration. After greeting everyone, I sat down next to my daughter. She pressed a piece of paper in my hand. "What's this?" I said as I unfolded it. I looked down and squinted trying to decipher the white form on black paper. My heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Is it what I think it is? Yes, yes, it was the form of a tiny baby clearly outlined. I was filled with emotion as I stared at the paper. I looked at my daughter and saw the smile on her face. It was true. God had answered my deepest heart prayer. I was totally unprepared for this long awaited moment. I was speechless. I had prayed for a grandchild to come into our family for so long that I couldn't believe it. Ten years had passed since I had shared with God my heart's desire. Now for some, this might be just a little miracle of god's creative hand, but for me, it was the biggest miracle of the century. On a rainy Monday morning I drove to the hospital. I had such excitement and joy in my heart. This was the long awaited day and I was as expectant as my daughter. Oliver Corcoran Gomez arrived on November 13, 2006. He was born just as God had planned, healthy and strong. I have already whispered in his ear, "Jesus loves you." See Oliver, now five months old, and his proud Daddy on our slide show..
	SANDY & mAELYN MCKINLEY			Sandy has written a group of wonderful poems. Click to enjoy this poetry.
	Paula tuerk			I've always felt that when you make something, you notice the world a little differently - how things fit together and why, colors and shapes, composition (maybe subconsciously). Everyone should try to activate that side of their brain, no matter how old they are. Of course that's just my opinion!
	RONNIE RUDOLPH Granddaughter's Assignment			I am taking the liberty of sharing our granddaughter Susan's (age 8) bible study assignment with you as she shared it with us. "I am thankful for food that we have, and the house that is before us. I am thankful for my family and electricity. I am happy that the Lord has created nature or else there would be no place to play. I am happy for relatives and for friends and for schools that we can learn in. I am also thankful for things like paper, and crayons, my dogs and things that are modern creations like the computer, radio, and washing machines."
	judy brandt			I don't have any earthshaking ideas of things to do with grandkids. We go on hikes in the mountains with them; they love that. When we take a picnic along the Lake Tahoe shore, Steve and Miles always have a rock-skipping competition ..... and often Miles wins! I work puzzles with them; play games with them; try to get them to join me on the piano bench, but they lose interest very quickly. I bought the beginning books from a family that's been printing books for many years; it's the Neil Kjos Company in San Diego (http://www.kjos.com/). It was the mother and father and now the mother and daughter. The books just don't seem to be much fun. Any ideas? I can't find any of my old teaching books. Of course, we love to read books and play jacks as you mentioned. I'd love to get to the point where we could bake or cook together, but so far that's not in the realm of the possible. Too hectic most of the time!
	LYNN FOLLETT Comments Related to San Francisco Bay Area outings			Our gang likes the beaches, so we give Crissy, Stinson, Rodeo, Muir our custom. Rodeo has the added advantage of a hike to the lighthouse.. Hawk Hill in Sept. and Oct. when the raptors are flying south. take binoculars and a lunch (Golden Gate Raptors), Often there are bird counters at work so you can get expert information. The raptors do not like to fly over open water. They fly down from the north following the coast line and suddenly find they are on the peninsula, Golden Gate Bridge and open water ahead of them, so they circle and circle getting up courage and wing strength before plunging across. We have also gotten up early and gone to Muir Woods "before it is open" No fee at that point, but more important no or few people. We take a little breakfast snack. You have to stay on the trails in the woods, but nice hikes of varying lengths, a short circle, or just walk in until you are ready to walk out. Along the parking lot the creek is accessible for happily getting wet and building dams. (This was a couple of years ago, it may be more closed off now, don't know. Another great creek and woods place in Old Mill Park in Mill Valley, towered over by redwoods and it smells great. Planet Earth in Sausalito or maybe it is just called Planet, a hands on "construction" site for kids Alcatraz - spooky, historic and comes with a boat ride!! Ferry to Sausalito and back - pick up lunch foods at the ferry building and eat out on the pier. Ft Point... Mission Dolores, Murals Alley in the Mission Lime Point and Horseshoe Cove on the Sausalito end of the bridge. You can no longer walk out to the little lighthouse, and the beach isn't much, but there are army installations and bunker - and so forth That's it for now.
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