Grandfamilies: Destination Grandlittle

Five Awesome Things About Grandparenting From Afar Our grandlittles have never lived in our community. Two households-full are within a 90-minute drive; the third set is currently on the opposite coast, after two rounds of island homes. So while I’ve dreamed of being the Lala who could pick the littles up after school or step […]


Grandfamilies: Do You Ever Wonder?

Super bloom. Death Valley, California. February 27, 2016. I wish we could bring the children to see this, I said to my husband as we tread  upon the desert floor, awed by the rafts of flowers that drifted right up to the base of the silent stony mountains, awed by the One who dreamed up this […]


Grandfamilies: The Stealth Grandpa

A Stealth Grandpa and His Grandson Who “Counts?” Chat with my friend Mike over fellowship hall coffee turned to his son’s recent marriage and the new family dynamics that stowed away on the train of the bride’s flowing gown, stealing their way right into the center of the family. His wife–Lisa–has a son, Jacob, who’s […]


Grandfamilies: When Little Children Ask Big Questions

Carly and Lala, Pensive. July 2012. Every parent knows the feeling, right? Your little beloved asks a tough question–tough because it delves into grown-up matters, tough because you’re not in an appropriate place to have a heart-to-heart discussion, tough because you would really rather not talk about that squirmy stuff with your precious child, tough […]


Grandfamilies: Crossing Swords and Crossing Fingers

Cousins Ayden and Cadence, Sprinkler, Football. August 2008. Does a little conflict brighten your day? Do you enjoy disputes? I’ve heard that some people do. Me, not so much. Mornings, before I leave the bedroom, I cross my fingers and say a prayer for harmony and congenial relations. Sometimes, though, something comes along and I can’t let […]