Sunday Morning & The Sikes Family

I wrote this post on Sunday April 19 - I'm just getting back to blogging ...

Everything worked together this morning (getting ready, feeding, nap time) so Chloe Mae went to worship with her Mommy, Daddy and Gram. What a privilege! As we drove to the church building Jacqueline and Jordan sang worship songs as is their custom. Part of the time I sang with them, but mostly I reflected on the songs and what they would mean to my Granddaughter. It thrills my heart to know that Chloe Mae will be brought up in the Lord by Godly parents. She is blessed to be the daughter of Jordan and Jacqueline Sikes. She has many aunts, uncles, grandparents, great grandparents and a host of extended family who will encourage her to be a Christian and to live her life for God. I shed a few tears, shared my thoughts with her parents and then joined in the singing.

A BIG THANK YOU TO MY SISTERS!

Over the last 8 1/2years my sister Brenda and her husband Norman have graciously shared their grandchildren with Bob and I. There were probably times that they would rather have had them at their house or even kept them to themselves, but they always shared.

We've had Megan and Clint over to spend the night. We've picked & Pitted cherries from our tree and then made pies together for 6 summers now. We make eggnog on New Year's Eve and take over to Grammy and Poppy's and watch a movie together with Grammy, Megan and Clint. We've taken road trips together, shopping trips, and trips out to the Stapel farm.

We haven't had as much time with Little Payton, their granddaughter from SE Kansas but Brenda and Norman are quick to share her on holidays and other visits home to P'Burg.

Kimberly and Brian have also shared Casen their only grandchild. When Casen was born last January, Kimberly was ill and unable to travel to meet her Grandbaby. She encouraged Brenda and I to go and meet Casen and do what we could for his family. So Brenda, Becky and I cooked up some food (casseroles, meatballs, etc.) and Brenda, Megan, Annie, Clint & I took off for Oklahoma. Kim didn't care that we met her grandbaby first, she was thankful that we could go and help get the house ready and encourage the new parents. I don't think she realized how much it meant to us for her to share with us!!

Bob and I have waited so long for a grandbaby - I think having Megan, Clint, Casen and Payton helped with our wait. It gave us someone to love and care about, someone to do things for and with to help fill up our hearts until we had our own grandbaby. So I say THANK YOU BRENDA & NORMAN, KIMBERLY & BRIAN for sharing your grandbabies and being so gracious to Bob and I. You gave us a chance to "practice" our grandparenting skills and gave us four fabulous children to love! You are welcome to share our granddaughter anytime and I know you'll come to love her as much as we love your grandkids!

Those four also got Bob his first "grandpa" hat and me my first "Grandma" shirt - we will wear them proudly!
I'm in Chicago and don't have pictures of our great nieces and nephews so I decided to share a few of Chloe and her grandparents!

Being a Grandmother is GREAT!

Tuesday, April 14
I'm a grandmother - actually I'm Gram Keesee. Bob, Annie and I were on our way to Chicago on Thursday when we received word that Chloe didn't wait for our arrival.

Chloe Mae Sikes arrived on April 9, 2009 at 6:58 p.m. She weighed in at 8 pounds and is 22 1/2 inches long. She has quite a bit of brown hair and her eyes are blue. Her eyes are already getting darker. She was a little jaundiced, but the numbers started down on Monday and she's doing great.

Mommy and Daddy are doing great! They are so cute with Chloe.

Everyone told me that being a grandparent was wonderful, amazing and many other adjectives, but I feel that there are no adequate words to describe the love, the awe, the emotions and the feeling of utter contentment that overwhelms you the first moment you lay eyes are that sweet little miracle! Grandchildren truly are a blessing from God!

I guess you can tell, I love being a grandmother and it was well worth the wait! Please keep Chloe and her Mommy and Daddy in your prayers.

Chloe Mae

Let me introduce you to Chloe Mae Sikes, her grandparents, and Auntie AJ