Relationships & Family

Grandma’s Bread

mcherkezian — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:27:18 -0600

How does my big Armenian family celebrate Easter? We get together—four generations—for church, then a festive meal afterward. Probably not that different from the way your family celebrates. Except for the food, that is. We don’t have a particular holiday menu, but still, it’s quite a feast.

A Day to Remember

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:21:45 -0500

In sixth grade I wanted one thing in my future for sure: to play clarinet in the Coppell High School Band. But would I get in?

Grandma didn't doubt I'd be good enough. She always said I was destined for great things. In my first middle school concert, I scanned the audience for her when I got onstage. There she was in the front row, wearing her big signature glasses, her white hair piled like a cotton ball on top of her head. Once I saw her I knew I could perform.

But CHS was the big leagues. Did I really have what it takes?

Expect the Unexpected

batch — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:21:22 -0500

Mama liked anything unusual. That's why she loved $2 bills.

Mama tucked one into my birthday card each year, a little reminder to expect the unexpected. This year, however, was my first birthday since Mama's death. Time to get used to things being ordinary, I thought on my way to work.

I flipped through the mail on my desk, mostly bills. I came to a blank envelope with my name printed on it. Is it a birthday card? I wondered. I opened the envelope. Inside was a crisp $2 bill. Life was still full of surprises.

Latkes in a Wok

admin — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:00:00 -0600

"Are they done yet?" I'd ask my late great-grandmother, whom I called Bubbe, on the first day of Hanukkah. She prepared latkes, a type of potato pancake made just for the holidays.

"Almost, bubbula," she'd call back. I'd watch her hands deftly glide across the potatoes as she grated and chopped. "Someday you'll make these," Bubbe would declare, handing me that first latke from the frying pan.

Ecology Bread

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 11:59:00 -0600

Kaytee and I were meant to be. The first moment I caught sight of her at the office where we both worked, I leaned back in my chair to get a better look and toppled over. I guess you could say that I fell for her. Kaytee changed my life. She encouraged me to take better care of myself, quit smoking and get into shape. She and I would often go hiking through the nearby nature preserve, picking up garbage off the side of the trail. The day we were married, I knew Kaytee would make me happy forever. I wanted to do something special for her, something really surprising.

My Grateful Heart

test_1 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:11:40 -0600

Before the tragic deaths of her mother and brother, GUIDEPOSTS spoke to Jennifer about the influence of her grandmother on her singing and her meteoric rise to fame.

Barbara Graham's 7 Laws of Grandparenting

mcherkezian — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:36:06 -0500

Barbara Graham, a Grandparents.com columnist, is the editor of the anthology, Eye of My Heart: 27 Writers Reveal the Hidden Pleasures and Perils of Being a Grandmother (Harper, 2009), which tells "the whole crazy, complicated truth about being a grandmother in today's world."

Rambler's Return

jbloustein — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:08:26 -0500

Christmas Eve should have been a happy day.

Our house was decorated. Work was done at the small-town church where my wife, Ricki, and I are pastors. Our kids and their families were coming over the next morning. And best of all, Blake, my grandson, was coming with them.

Blake had just finished basic training in the Navy. We hadn’t found out till the last minute whether he’d be home for the holidays. It would be such a relief to see him.

9 Fun Things to Do in the Rain

jbloustein — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:09:27 -0500

Used by arrangement with Grandparents.com LLC.
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1. Why Stay In?
April showers may bring May flowers, but they can also give grandchildren a case of cabin fever.

Don't let a damp forecast rain on your parade. Whether it's barely drizzling or raining cats and dogs, make the most of the wet weather with these outdoor activities designed especially for rainy days.

Preserving the Past

jbloustein — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:17:29 -0500

Growing up, my extended family was a large one but I lived far from most of my relatives.

Moreover, half my grandparents died before I was born and most of my aunts and uncles were emotionally distant people.

The result was that, even though I was blessed with two loving and attentive parents, I often felt lonely and adrift.

For this reason, I resolved that, should I ever be a parent, my children would be raised in the bosom of their extended family. In this way, I thought that they could never feel as alone as I had.