Niki got married last June (2008). She was the first born grandchild into our family. Blessed with such a beatufil child, and being a new grandmother, she became my "Angel" girl.
Watching her grow up was fascinating and fun. I'll never forget the time when Chip and I lived in San Diego, Niki was about 6 years old, had been living in Washington with her folks, when they decided to move back to California, we thought it would be great to give my daughter and Todd and break and have Niki visit us for about 2 weeks.
She was so scared that she could hardly get into the car for the long trip from Sacramento to San Diego. I hadn't seen her for a while and knowing she was nervous, decided that it would be fun and count the Palm Trees on the way. It broke the ice and she began to relax.
We got to San Diego. She had her own room and slept with about 25 books! We read every night and she did chores for .25 cents each. Unheard of now! In those days Chip and I were in the crafts business and on the road doing shows. At that time I was designing wearable art.
Niki wanted her own money for Disney Land so I made a deal with her. She could buy the blank stock from me and paint her own designs. At the end of the summer, she had over $50.00 and started realizing, at her own young age, that being scared prevented her from doing things she wanted to.
That summer, we had a ball and she ended up staying almost 2 months! It was good for us and for Niki too. She was very determined and head strong and decided very young that she wanted to be a school teacher. We all supported and encouraged that dream.
She persisted and held fast to that goal and for the last two years has taught second grade and 1st grade and now this year, her third year, again teaching 1st graders and loving it and working through the challenges.
She's married now. Met a great guy for her, Matt, a recent Theology graduate and they live in Roseville back at mom and dads while they save some money for their own home.
Niki loves children and is in love with her nephew, Hayden now over 8 months old. The good news is that Niki and Matt are going to have their own baby in February 2010, which seems like a long time from now but it will pass quickly.
Growing, staying focused and determined to push through scary obstacles have paid off. She's happilly married,(June 2008 is doing exactly what she set out to do at a very young and and will soon be a mother. For me, being a "grammy" has always been treasured but being a Great Grammy is a "stature" in life that, to a young mother (1960's, seems so far away. Well, I'm still here and young enough to enjoy my "stature".
I'm sharing the wedding photo of the five generations of women in our family alive and thriving including my mother and my beautiful daughter. Life is good.
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