Next year will bring on a new path in my journey. Our first grandchild is due in March. However, I am not waiting for that journey to take me where it wants. I want to actively participate in setting the course and making plans for what I want that journey to achieve. I am beginning with what I want my Grandma name to be. I have been pondering that thought ever since we found out back in August.
Even though I will be 50 next year, I just don’t feel like the typical terms chosen for a grandmother fit me! I have literally perused several long lists of names used across the globe for that position and found none that appealed to me or even remotely sounded like me. But, then I realized that being a grandmother is not my identity – it’s only a facet of who I am as a whole. I didn’t want a name that would lock me into something that I wasn’t feeling in the way it was portraying me to feel. I needed to find a name that was much more simple and laid back than grandmotherly!
Our parenting life was far more about survival. I forgot the aspect of parenting being a journey and forgot to enjoy the ride. I want my grand-parenting style to be far more purposeful, scenic and memorable. I have always loved the term “Abba” in reference to God. I wanted a name that held the same kind of love notes. I want to feel love and be reminded of my love for every grandchild when they call out my name.
I am currently in the midst of doing a Bible study with my sisters-in-law and mother-in-law entitled “Discovering Joy in Philippians.” It is a creative approach to Bible study with coloring pages to inspire us to learn Bible verses. While I am coloring, I use the time to listen to music or listen for God, as well as learn the verse. It suddenly came to me that my grandma name should be “Gran.” I literally envisioned a small child coming over to me and asking if they could color with me and that was the name the child called me. I immediately loved it!
I then went back to a couple of those lists of names wondering how I could have missed that one and couldn’t find it. How perfect! A more unusual name for someone looking for something more personal. I think it will be easy for my small grandchildren to say, more of a nickname feel than an identity feel, and I know I will feel all the feels of being in love with my grandchildren. I am sure this name will become so popular that eventually it will be added to those lists.
It will be Great to be a Gran! Now, just to deal with that term grandchildren. That sounds just about as stuffy as grandma or grandmother! Maybe they should be my “Grandies.” What do you think?