What's In A Name?

What do you think of when you hear the word "Grandma"? Does it conjure up images of a little old lady knitting? or maybe someone who was always there for you as you grew up?

What do you think of when you hear the word "Grandpa"? Does it conjure up images of a little old man bent over walking with a cane? Or maybe the image that you get is of the man who taught you about engine repair.

What do you think of when you hear the word "Granny"? For me the image that comes to mind is from the "Beverly Hill Billies" with the little old lady riding in the back of the truck on the rocking chair. Remember how she fought for her kin-folk?

How about the word "Gramps"?

For me, my grandma and my grandpa were people who were always there for me growing up. They also taught me a lot. My grandma taught me how to sew and to cook. While my grandpa taught me how to use the riding lawn mower and how to square dance. I have lots of great memories with my grandparents. And over the years I have never called my grandma "granny" but I have called my grandpa "gramps".

Their actual names have been handed down in my brother's name as well as in my middle name.

Why you might ask am I bringing this up now?

Well it is simple. My best friend here in Montana has just become a grandparent. She will be a wonderful grandma and her hubby will be an awesome granddad. They will teach that little one lots of wonderful things and he will never doubt that he is loved.

His Auntie will also be right there to spoil him rotten, of that I have no doubt.

CONGRATULATIONS to Naomi and Shane!!! and a great big welcome to Jonathan Wade

If any of you happen to know these new grandparents, when you see them say congratulations to the new "granny" and the new "gramps". (I will let Jonathan decide which name fits you best!)

Side note: I have checked many dictionaries for their definition of both grandmother and granny and I don't like any of them for either my friend or the grandmother of my childhood. So I have created my own:
Granny: n, slang for grandma
Grandma: n, the female person who will teach, love, fight for, and do silly things with/for the offspring of her son's and daughter's. The person who will always be in the grandchild's corner.

I realize that my definitions may not work for everyone but hey, Webster's didn't work for me.