It's official!

Per my granddaughter, my name is officially 'Pops.'  Not Pop.  It's plural, for I am many.  Now, the naming of grandparents is a difficult matter.  It isn't just one of your holiday games.  Obviously, since it took her this long to settle on a preferred name.  All the other grandparents had claimed their title, but I was patient.  I floated 'O Mighty One', but it didn't stick.  So Pops it is.  I like it. It has pep.  And I'll never grow tired of hearing them say 'Pops'.  Though other grandchildren down the way will be able to choose their own names for me, I do request the names be the same per family.  

Gratuitous grandkiddo collage:  

Because nothing lifts the day more than smiling and happy grandchildren.  

Happy Birthday America

For all that has gone on in our country, it's amazing that when you think it's time to move somewhere else, you're still hard pressed to imagine where.  As I've told my boys over the years, there are people in the world who would kill to have our worst day.  Not that an American with a brain tumor the size of a watermelon is therefore not really suffering or shouldn't complain.  It's just that we have so many wonderful blessings we can take for granted that barely rank fiction in many places in the world, and throughout most of human history.  That's why it's easy to forget how thankful we should be. Which might be part of the problem; a problem perhaps intentionally manufactured. 

UPDATE: Another example of the malaise among those forgetting our blessings comes from Where Peter Is. A young John Grosso demonstrates that common line of thought, especially among the Left, that says America deserves to be celebrated only if and when America votes Democrat and acts as the Left dictates, and not a minute before.  This is accomplished under that liberal umbrella that claims to be tolerant of everything but evil, while defining evil as anything that isn't liberal.  So they're not saying Americans must conform to their politics, they're merely saying America shouldn't celebrate in such evil times, which looks to all observers like being defined as not conforming to progressive politics.  While leftwing activists like you'll find at WPI are more flagrant with the notion that praiseworthy only means progressive, I fear it has filtered down into a common mentality, especially among younger generations.  An excuse to avoid sacrificing or committing to a cause unless it's worthy of me - and I can always make sure it never is worthy of me, so I needn't bother with those sacrifices and commitments to other causes.  

BTW, I've taken to visiting WPI semi-regularly to note the sparseness of Pope Leo articles compared to how you couldn't go five minutes without seeing new articles singing the praises of Pope Francis on a regular basis. I find that interesting, and yet I've noticed it across the liberal Catholic spectrum.  We'll see. 

Yes another Birthday post

And the last of the year.  As I said, we have to modify our approach to 'our half of the year', since our daughter-in-law and our granddaughter both have May birthdays.  But we typically end the big celebrations with our oldest, and last of the calendar.  After all, by my age birthdays aren't what they used to be, and for my mom (in January), every birthday is a celebration, albeit one in the middle of our Christmastide festivities.  

With divergent schedules and obligations, the boys moving on and getting older, and the changes in family dynamics and obligations, we obviously don't do everything we used to.  But goodness knows we still try.  Sometimes it's still a few old traditions, even if not everyone is available.  With planning, luck and some scheduling elbow-grease, we can get together.

This year, owing to this year, it was confined to mostly the gang coming over with their daughter and picking out pumpkins (one day), and carving them (the next week).  Some of us did manage to get up to my old stomping grounds and get some fresh pressed cider (nothing better).  

We had a fine birthday dinner for our oldest, at his request.  We went to a 'Der Dutchman' (I call it McAmish), which is a chain restaurant based on those Amish eating houses that are plentiful in the northwestern parts of the state.  In those, if you've not experienced them, the popular approach is called 'Family Style.'  That is, they bring out platters of meats and sides and breads and such and you help yourself, as they replenish the empty platters until everyone is full.  Or, in this case, they have a buffet option, which is more economical for our size family.  It's not easy getting out with my mom at this point, but with effort and teamwork it's still possible.  

Then our oldest asked to break from the current pastime of World in Flames and dive into the old Flames of War game.  We dusted off those old containers of miniatures.  Really.  They were dusty, it's been so long.  We then spent some time setting things up.  We haven't played yet, again owing to time and such.  But when we can and everyone is in proper place, then we'll have a go at it, and I may unpack that and how we tie it into that larger, hobby game of World in Flames.

Otherwise, it's been a season.  Things have been more sedated, but then we notice that seems to be the trend.  I can't imagine why there are so few Halloween decorations this year.  The economy is as strong as ever, thus says the American news media.  Why people aren't spending more on Halloween decor is, therefore, beyond me.  But we seem hardly alone in playing it simple.  We'll see.  That will be for a later post.   For now, the birthday.  

Before the whole family gathered, three of the boys went to a local park and farmstead.  Only to discover you couldn't get to the farmstead from the park.  Heh. 

As if mom is a queen entering the court, the kids and grandchild part ways for her at the local farm market and pumpkin patch. 

Her first trip to a pumpkin patch. She seemed to enjoy it, at least if we translate baby correctly.

Birthday boy with a rather large pumpkin for himself.  Each has their own, but my wife and I double up with one pumpkin, to save a little cash. 

The gang.  Mom is looking at something, but the rest were actually looking forward and smiling at the same time, which is a rarity where pictures are concerned!

Up at the orchard, the location of my very first field trip in kindergarten, you can smell the apples before you enter the shop. Plus local maple syrup, and local honey.  Which we can also get where we get the pumpkins. 

The first eating out with our granddaughter.  She seems pleased with the possibility of starting to eat solid foods in the not too distant. 

Waiting for the gifts to be opened and the cake to be had.  Just a fun candid picture.

Flames of War to the fore!  It won't be these forces, they were only used to gauge distances during the setup.  But if it was the game, it looks like that British Cromwell has the advantage on the Panther, with US infantry standing back.

Her oldest uncle and his niece.

The birthdays continue

Several years ago, I quipped about 'Our time of the year.'  We used to go from our third son's birthday because it was close to the six month mark to Christmas.  Now with our daughter-in-law and the world's cutest baby having birthdays before that, not to mention their anniversary, I have to modify that template.  

But no matter, starting in May now, we have month after month of birthdays.  This is our final summer birthday, and the one that is our own 'autumnal season' marker.  Largely because of my son's requests, we keep any and all references to, and indulging in, fall pastimes until after his August birthday.  So it's with great expectations that we look forward to his birthday.  But in fairness, we look forward to it because it's his birthday, and another chance to look at the sunny side of life, as they say. Especially now that he has his family to share it with.  

As families go, his has had a full, rich, crazy time.  They opened no less than a brick and mortar book store coming right off the chaos and catastrophe that was the Covid era lockdowns.  And that was before they were married.  Then, God decided the family needed a special blessing to get us through these moments of darkness, and they brought our granddaughter into the world.  

Gratuitous candid shot:

Now, I remember being just married all those years ago.  You have your honeymoon.  You have your honeymoon time.  Then life comes along and it's the whole new adventure.   For them, the adventures of life hit soon, and have been on a level that's tough to imagine.  Not just the Covid era courtship and post lockdown wedding, but what they have taken upon themselves to accomplish.  

It hasn't been easy.  The arrival of their daughter, while joy and happiness unimaginable, was in suboptimal conditions.  Sitting in a neonatal ICU unit is never anything that a positive spin can help.  

Yet they've proven amazingly resilient.  They probably handled it better than I would have at that stage in my life. Fortunately not only us, but her family lives in the area as well.  I'd like to think having both families nearby helped, and I know her mom did yeoman's work being there during the delivery and helping them get at least a couple feet back on the ground.

Now, looking at the grandbaby, it's easy to forget the chaos and upheaval and stress of the last year.  I know.  St. Paul says be anxious for nothing.  Call me a Christian in training, but the anxious was easy to fall into, with the nature of her early arrival and the rest of the blitz that hit us over the last year.  Soon we'll be at the anniversary of when everything went bonkers last fall.  This is especially notable as it's Employee Appreciation Week, and we all know what that means. Increasingly that, like Christmas, is when companies today cut jobs and hand out pink slips.  Our prayer is that we've paid our dues for a season, and the better side of blessings will continue to move us forward as God quiets the storms and stills the waves of life. 

One way to embrace the hope is to rejoice in the finer blessings, like another year with our son, his wife and their adorable child.  To share time with the other brothers who we're blessed to have here to gather together, and be thankful for the opportunities to help mom, each other, and by extension, hopefully move on in whatever crazy path God has set out for us.   

So a happy and blessed birthday to our second oldest.  I get now those greeting cards for children that speak of memories of them as little ones, but the pride in seeing the adults and parents they've become. 

As a sidenote, as my vision problems correct themselves and I look forward to new lenses that may seal the deal and get my eyesight back on track, I have to say the blessings still outweigh the problems, and for that, I am thankful to the Almighty. 

The family - an amazing year and a half

Mn mom overlooking the festivities

Don't mind saying he makes us proud

Five feet high the cake and three may eat abreast   

Good update

It looks like the granddaughter has done very well, and will be coming home today.  Thanks be to God for that. With that, we'll be busy, busy, busy.  Still on hiatus, but appreciate the prayers.  Below is the last round of hospital ICU photos.  Grandpa gets a punch in the nose while grandma tries to keep the feisty girl wrapped up.  The results underneath show her as about the most rambunctious newborn I've seen. Under that are the three brothers and dad (bottom left corner) taking their turns.  With my daughter-in-law's four brothers added, I think the little girl will have plenty or uncles looking out for her.

UPDATES:

And let the spoiling begin: 

A sudden blessing we didn't expect

 And viola!  I'm a grandpa:

Proud parents adorable baby - an excellent match

Yes, according to the experts, about four weeks early.   But her size doesn't suggest that.  Instead, we're figuring they were off by a couple weeks.  Probably closer to the first of June.  Meaning she - and yes, it's a girl - is a couple weeks early.  Owing to that, she's receiving special care in the hospital right now.  But praying everything works itself out soonest and the proud and happy parents can bring her home in a couple days.  So that's where I've been.  We didn't see it coming, that's for sure.  Both families are nearby, so everyone swung into action, and my son rose to the occasion.  But the star of the show was my wonderful daughter-in-law who was a trooper and then some, and of course our newest and youngest addition to clan Griffey.  So praising God right now, with a healthy dose of prayers, and blessing on her, her parents, and all of us who have already been blessed by her.  

The newlyweds

 

We pray for all God's blessings for them and their new life.  I must admit, my prayers punched well above their weight when she came into my son's life.  I hope the other three will be so blessed in their futures.  

The Boys

 Wedding Day - 2023

For old times' sake

It's been quite a ride, these couple decades with the boys.  Our second oldest will be married by the end of the day tomorrow and moving on.  Technically, the older three were supposed to have moved out by now.  The plan was for the first two to move out together when they transferred from a local community college to Ohio State.  Then our third son would get a transfer (he works in a chain restaurant) and move in with them, so the three could share expenses.  The staggered moving out would also be a little easier on our youngest, who wouldn't have to see all three move out at once.  That was the plan in the autumn of 2019, to be ready to move out by spring of 2020.  And we all know what happened next.

We don't begrudge it.  As I've said, save for the Covid upheaval and ban on events of  2020, that was the nicest year we had in many a year.  From 2015 we were hit with a tsunami of events and near disasters, often multiple in a month or so.  In 2019 there were only a handful of weeks where I wasn't in a medical facility several times with someone in the family. 

In 2020, again save for the Covid crazy, things slowed down.  We righted ourselves, my wife was given a major promotion, and things got back on track.  Though we had played boardgames as a family, they were usually only part of our activities.  In 2020 we became boardgame gurus.  And that wasn't all.  Fortunately we have a well stocked library, DVD library, audio and video game library enough to keep everyone busy while we were forbidden to go out.

That fall ended up being one of the nicest we ever enjoyed, again if you don't count the lack of travel opportunities.  Halloween didn't have rain - one of the first times for our youngest.  Thanksgiving saw everyone together for the whole day for the first time in years. And it was one of the nicest Christmas seasons ever.  With lockdowns and at-home learning and working, we all managed to have the entire week following Christmas through New Years off.  Aesthetically it was the proverbial white Christmas, one of the loveliest in my memory. 

But as all things must pass, so did 2020.  2021 saw a return to several events of varying levels of seriousness.  The worst was Covid over Christmas 2021.  Also my wife's heart attack, my mom had a serious health crisis, and other such things like one son being hit by a car and general trials and travails of life.  

The one good, bright spot to come from that year was my son meeting his bride to be.  That delightful young girl with a Cheshire Cat grin I've written about.  In the overall scheme of things, you can't ask for much better for your sons.  Not to be too theologically unsound, but if I must endure some misfortune to balance the good fortune that came with her coming into our lives, that's a price I suppose I can handle.  

Nonetheless, by 2022 it was clear that the reprieve we had been given in 2020 was quickly passing its sell by date.  Our oldest was delayed in college, largely because he was forced to abandon his life plans when his allergy hit just as he was set to begin schooling.  The other sons were not so hindered, but all three clearly were coming to that point of getting restless as 2022 came and went.  

We allowed them to stay at home to avoid going into debt in college, though not entirely free of charge.  It worked, and both graduates will have done so without owing a brass farthing in debt.  But no matter the logic of the arrangement, it's been clear for some time that the Gray Havens are approaching, in which they feel the call to move on to their own lives and new families and futures.

Before our second oldest moves on, however, the four decided to have a final 'Bro Night' as they called them.  And in a fitting farewell moment, they took the old Dark Tower boardgame I found some years ago, and went to our son's soon to be new apartment to play.   

Once things settle down, it will be a new era for the family, and one I'm sure will bring its own opportunities and joys.  But it will be different, and I can't help admit I will feel a bit melancholy.  After all, the boys developed the reputation of being 'The Boys'.  As someone once said, as soon as one walks through the door, you know the others will follow.  "Here come the Griffeys" was a common response to their appearance on the scene.  Not that they didn't have their moments.  Four stubborn young men with strong opinions?  But when the dust settled, they emerged as their own best friends in most of their lives together.  May it remain so, but with a new member of the family to celebrate.  

One more charge at the Tower

And going and going and going

So I posted about the the kid's bookstore the other day.  Never think they alone possess my attentions or admiration.  I'm no fool and don't put my kids on some angelic pedestal.  Still, the world being what it is today, I'm mighty proud of all four of them.  One climbing the corporate ladder from the ground up, one on the verge of graduating college, and our youngest who just improves by leaps and bounds his ability to fix and build electronics.  He recently purchased and old Nintendo game system (he loves retro tech).  It was sold 'as is', which basically ended up meaning it didn't work.  Not to be defeated, he spent the next several hours opening it up and tinkering with it until he got it to work.  As one who feels proud when I change a light bulb, I have to say I'm impressed.  And that's just their industry.  As people they impress me even more.  And that goes for our soon-to-be daughter-in-law. 

I admit, however, the bookstore has dominated the family scene, and that's with everything else happening and the upcoming marriage (which happens to be the same weekend that my oldest graduates, our third passes his required year long position to get promoted, and our youngest is confirmed - did I say busy time?).

Part of what has generated the store's success has been endless book donations.  I never had a clue there are so many people out there trying to get rid of books.  I have no raw numbers, but the vast majority of their stock is from donations. Which is nice.  Especially when it's this:

Some fellow willed that his collection of genuine leatherbound books not be sold, but be donated.  So they were donated to the store (where they'll be sold?).  In any event, those are some nice books. I'm planning on getting there ASAP.  Within only the first few hours they've sold several, so I best not wait (I'm eyeing that copy of Beowulf near the left of the picture).