JANUARY 5th, 2024

Good morning ☀️

Well, we're officially into a new year. So I felt it might be helpful to set up a bucket list of sorts to set the tone for a happy, healthy, and fun year.

It's basically a giant list of things you can do - based on the month you're in - so you never run out of ways to connect with your grandchildren (and even yourself). 💫

There's plenty more in this first weekly edition of the year. I hope you enjoy it. Have a beautiful weekend and God bless! ❤️

The 2024 Bucket List

Like last week's 365 questions to ask your grandkids in 2024, I included a downloadable, printable version of this bucket list at the end of the article. Feel free to grab it. 🙂

​The 2024 Month-by-Month Bucket List for Grandmas and Their Grandkids​

I already can't wait for June... but let's not rush time too much. 😯

Passing Down Memories

Let's face it... sometimes, it feels like our grandchildren just don't really want to hear about our stories. But the sad irony is that after we're gone, they will wish they asked. 💔

Fortunately, there are ways to pass them down where they'll actually listen and care.

​10 Creative Ways to Share Your Life Stories with Grandkids​

You already knew I'd suggest #6, huh? 😂

A PRAYER JOURNAL ❤️

Last week, many of you supported my weekly newsletter by purchasing my new book. Thank you so much!

If you're interested, I'm sharing it here again. I am really enjoying it myself already, just 5 days into the year.

I'm going to be using this myself each day to stay connected with both my grandchildren and my faith! I hope you like it.

THIS WEEK'S STORY 📚

I Carry Him

by Jillian Benfeld, author and mother of three. She wrote this about her son, Anderson, born with Down Syndrome.

"I carry him.

I know it looks silly; his toes dangle past my knees. He’s getting tall and heavy, too. It sometimes hurts my back to lift his frame, but, I carry him.

It starts in the morning when waking up is hard. I should make him walk down the stairs, as it’s still something he is working on in physical therapy. But with his sleepy eyes and tired heart, he doesn’t want to start off his day with a task. So, I carry him.

He works hard to get off the school bus. One hand on the rail and down three large steps with care. He takes my hand and can’t wait to go inside to play. But, I make him go to the bathroom first. He doesn’t want to pause. I kneel down, give him a hug, and a reassuring word.

Then, I carry him.

At the end of the day, when we’ve worked on manners at the table and holding his utensils with the correct grasp, sometimes he is so done. And there is still the bathing, teeth brushing, and getting dressed to do. From the table and up the stairs we go. Sometimes, I carry him.

The world moves fast and demands so much from all of us. I imagine with my son’s age and disability, it is often more exhausting. He’s directed and redirected, pushed and pulled throughout the day. There are times when he’s had enough. That’s when I carry his awkwardly long body against my own short one. Because sometimes, we all need someone to carry us to get us through the next hard thing, to love us through our good, bad, and weak moments.

When he’s reached his limit, I’m close to my own. But when I carry him, he somehow carries me, too."

EMBRACING CHANGE

When I became a grandma, I just envisioned what I saw in my own grandmother. But the truth is, our role changes all the time.

Here are some helpful tips to help you adapt to the change and thrive.

​13 Practical Ways Grandmas Can Embrace Change And Adapt to Their Evolving Role​

BAD JOKE OF THE WEEK

I hate my job. All I do is crush cans all day.

It's just...soda pressing. 😂

THANK YOU! 🙏

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Thank you for reading, and I'll see you next year. 🙂

Love,
Devoted Grandma