DELIGHTS – TIMES 4!

February 15, 2010 3:14 PM 10

DELIGHTFUL WEEKEND! I have enjoyed so much this past weekend!  Special time with my family as we celebrated special events of our lives together, and the beautiful snow that is so rare for our area. So this morning, I am thanking God for some more Gran Jan’s JOY!  (These delights are in no particular order…they are ALL joyful.)

Delight #1: Winter Wonder ~ We don’t have snow ’round these parts very often – and definitely not of the magnitude that we enjoyed this past Friday.  There is something so peaceful about the clean and pristine white snow.  The rarity of this event made it quite a delightful winter wonder for all of us. 

Our driveway – Double M Farms
My parents live next door.
(My maiden and married names – M’s)
Pecan grove
Oak trees line the driveway (I love this so much!)
Side view of my front porch – a happy place to spend time
Single cardinal in the birch tree, the
view from my kitchen window
Delight #2: Zeke finally said Gran Jan – clearly! Not “ga-ga” or something two-syllable sounding as he has been doing, but he said “GRAN JAN!” I went to babysit him for a little while Friday morning and as I was leaving, he patted his mommy and said “Mama,” then pointed to my son and sad “daddy,” then tapped my arm and said “Gran Jan!”  I was so tickled.  I have been waiting for this day!
Delight #3: Our other two grandbabies are on the way in May and the girls took another picture this weekend to show their progress!  If you look closely, you can see the babies’ genders on their tee-shirts.  Erin (daughter-in-love on the right) made these shirts as a surprise.  (Go here to read all about that.)  Carrie (daughter-in-love on the left) is having a girl! See the flowers showing? Erin is having a boy! See the sports balls showing? They did not plan this, but Erin pointed it out when she sent me the pictures – I love it!
Delight #4: Today is my husband’s birthday.  I have celebrated many birthdays with this man, and each one is more special – each celebration of life makes me so grateful for the man God gave me to be my husband.  I love Gary more than ever – he is my best friend, he takes good care of me, he loves our family and he is a man of great integrity. He is a true man of God – at home, at church, and in the community – and that makes me respect him all the more.
Counting my blessings today, and loving Jesus with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength!
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February 15, 2010 3:14 PM 10

Gran Jan’s (and G-Daddy’s) Christmas SURPRISES!

December 25, 2009 11:53 AM 12

We celebrate Christmas with my parents on Christmas Eve. It is a long-standing tradition and my Mom passes out the gifts because she is really the heart of Christmas in our family.  As she handed a gift to me and a gift to my husband, she said “I don’t know who these are from or where they came from.”  The card said, “Open Together.”  So we each opened our gifts and lo and behold…this is what we saw! (I opened the PINK one.)

YES! Our May grandbabies have been revealed! 
It’s a GIRL!  It’s a BOY!
The stockings match the mommies below! 
They have been telling us that it would be next month before we could find out and they have kept the secret well – and I am so proud of them. (Go here to read the original post.) My boys obviously did not inherit the “cannot-keep-a-secret-well-gene” from their mother!  Now if it is confidential, sad and serious, my lips are sealed! But if it’s happy news, well, let’s just say I fit the old song, “If You’re Happy and You Know It, Then Your Face Will Surely Show it…”  because everyone can tell I know something. Read my smile! So be sure I have a BIG OLD SMILE on my face this Christmas morning.
Oh and one more thing…Gran Jan is 3 for 3 in “G.G.G.” (Guessing Grandbabies’ Gender). Yes I am…right before we were handed those gifts, I leaned over to Erin and said, “I think you’re having a boy!”  She just smiled…  The sonogram pictures are in the stockings too – I have some sweet and thoughtful daughters-in-law.  I love them for all they are to my sons – their love for my boys means EVERYTHING to me.
MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM GRAN JAN!  I will post some Christmas photos from the farm later, but right now I just want to let this one sit…and I’m going to go sit by the tree and count my many blessings, name them three by three, Zeke…Baby Girl…Baby Boy!
Emmanuel, God With Us – Oh YES – HE IS!
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December 25, 2009 11:53 AM 12

Double Delight – Two Babies on the Way in May!

November 17, 2009 3:27 AM 16
DOUBLE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW DELIGHT!

I am BEYOND excited to share the news that we are going to welcome TWO MORE grandbabies to our family in May 2010!   Both of my sons and their sweet wives are expecting babies just FIVE DAYS APART!


My oldest son Jeremy and his wife Carrie (they are the couple on the left) are the parents of Zeke, my 15 month old grandson and “Gran Jan’s Joy.”  (This blog began as a way for me to process and record the joy of waiting for his arrival, which was a miracle of divine design.)

So their little boy, Ezekiel (everyone calls him “Zeke”) is going to be a big brother sometime around May 16, and then he will welcome his cousin to the family around May 21!
 

My youngest son Jonathan and his wife Erin are on the right in the photo above.  They are expecting their first baby! Erin made these matching shirts as a way to “tell” the Double Delight news to my parents (the great-grandparents) who live next door to me.  Here they are walking over to my parents to share the news.  I was following behind with my camera to record the event!

Here they are going back over to my house after they told my Mom and Dad…it was almost more than I could take in one evening.  I can’t believe I am going to be Gran Jan times three, and I am counting my blessings.  The other day I heard a woman call her grandchildren “Grandblessings,” and I loved that. They truly are grand blessings, and I can’t wait to meet the May Babies!

Today is my birthday…and I can’t think of a more fitting day to celebrate LIFE and God’s goodness to our family. 

i am thanking God for the promise fulfilled in my life from His Word, found in Psalm 128, verse 6:

Psalm 128:6 
May you live to see your children’s children.

Thank you Lord,
Gran Jan

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November 17, 2009 3:27 AM 16

Brothers – Preacher and Worship Leader

July 31, 2009 2:22 AM 6

This mother’s heart is so full of joy and gratitude tonight as I write this post on Gran Jan’s Joy. Last night, both of my boys were “back together” at our home church for a special youth service. My oldest son preached and my youngest son led worship. I sat there and just cried with joy to the Lord, so did my husband. Both boys grew up at Second Baptist Church. We dearly love our church, my husband has served on staff there 21 years. Our oldest son has been gone since he was 17 when he began to pastor a church his Junior year of high school…yes.he.did. He is still the pastor of Cross Point Baptist Church and is now working on his doctorate degree from SWBTS. He has always been a great student. My youngest son leads worship in the student ministry here at our home church, and also sings in his daddy’s choir. He is a tax assessor, a real estate appraiser. Both boys are married, and our daughters-in-law are beautiful blessings, and we love them.

And of course, little Zeke needed tending to while his daddy preached, so I was happy to oblige. I love him more and more and the feeling is reciprocal…he is starting to reach for me and wants to stay with me, and I love that so much.
It was a great night for our family, one I will cherish and thank God for. One of the most tender blessings for my heart was when Jeremy openly exhorted his little brother for the heart and passion he has to lead worship. My heart rejoices with joy that my boys and their wives are all serving Jesus. You young mothers out there, be encouraged. God is able.
Oh to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be,
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July 31, 2009 2:22 AM 6

My First Blogaversary

July 25, 2009 1:53 AM 9

One year ago TODAY I penned my very first blog entry entitled “The Waiting Room.” I was waiting for the birth of my first grandchild. It had been a long wait, and the time was drawing near. To say
I was beyond excited is an understatement. People who know me well often say it doesn’t take much for me to be excited, but this anticipation was unlike any other! A grandson!!!

Little did I know that exactly one year to the day from that first blog post, my little grandboy would be spending the night with us! This time last year he wasn’t even here…tonight he is asleep in the same crib his daddy slept in 27 years ago.
I am smitten, pure and simple…hence the title of this blog, “Gran Jan’s Joy.” I hope my boys and their wives will add some more JOY to our lives in the next few years, but until then…here are a few photos from tonight’s joy.

Happy First Blogaversary to Me! If I look a little more excited in these pictures than Zeke does, it is because I am. 🙂
Gran Jan
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July 25, 2009 1:53 AM 9

UPDATE: Valentine’s Day and Plan B!!!

February 15, 2009 1:03 AM 11

UPDATE: My daughter-in-love came home from the hospital and she said my son is taking good care of her and Zeke and for that I am most grateful. God is so good to me.

UPDATE: My sweet daughter-in-love is in the hospital and may be there through Thursday – she is a sick young woman – and has a serious case of pneumonia! PRAY FOR HEALING! I am going over to keep Zeke today and tomorrow at their house. Love y’all –

I have spent the entire day – today – Valentine’s Day – with my new love…Zeke, my 6 month old grandson! I call it “Plan B” for Blessings and for Boys! Blessings because I am so blessed to be Gran Jan, and BOYS, for you see – I am the momma of his daddy – the mother of boys, the grandmother of a boy…hence, Plan B! (I wrote an earlier post about this a while back.)

Plan B was put into action early this morning when my first-born son called and asked me to come get Zeke for the day. He had to study some more for his sermon tomorrow because he has been sick this week, and his wife, my daughter-in-love is also very sick (on the verge of pneumonia) and needed to rest. I had a BLAST with Plan B today – we played, we read the story of Jonah from the Bible Story Book, we rocked, we sang songs, we took several naps, I fed him 3 times – and we bonded. So on this day, Zeke’s first Valentine’s Day of his little life, I was able to spend the whole day with him. I am so thankful – God is good, and God is Love – perfect love. The purest and sweetest love of all is because of Jesus, and for that I am thankful as I celebrate this day of LOVE.

Blessings, boys, bonding… Grateful Gran Jan

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February 15, 2009 1:03 AM 11

What Are Little Boys Made Of?

February 6, 2009 1:34 AM 15

I’ll tell you this, there are no “snips and snails and puppy dog tails” with this little bundle of blessings! He is pure delight to me! I kept Zeke for a while around noon today so my son could take his wife, my daughter-in-love, out to lunch…he is sweet that way. My husband set a good example and for that I am so thankful, he’s a sweetheart too. I pray Zeke will grow up to be sweet too – I believe he will because his parents are committed to raising him up in the Lord. He is a delightful baby and I wanted to share some updated pictures of my grandboy. Indulgent, yes – but hey…I’m Gran Jan!!!

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February 6, 2009 1:34 AM 15
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