Thirty six years ago, Tim and I started our dance in the minefield. I was in my second year of college when Tim’s job moved us from Des Moines to Omaha, so I put college on hold and we decided to start a family because…..well…..we were so prepared. I was twenty and Tim was twenty-two. We had no money and too much debt. And honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing. God used those years to shape us…and to grow us up.
Thanks to our parents, we were able to battle through financially, make our unairconditioned, single-wide mobile home a place we loved, and have three beautiful baby boys in five years. I seriously loved (love) being a mom and I’m so thankful for the years I was able to stay home with them.
In 2009, at age 40, I finally finished my college journey and began a teaching career, completing my Masters Degree in 2018. Today, I am an instructional coach, working with elementary teachers. As challenging as it is, God continues to provide a deep passion for teaching and positively impacting one little corner of this crazy world.
So, what about those three baby boys? Well, they grew up, served actively in the U.S. Air Force for many years, married amazing women, and blessed us with six precious grandbabies. Our hearts are full. And my grandma years are overflowing with chaos, love, tears, and laughter – the perfect fuel for The Laughing Grandma journey and the perfect reason to passionately pursue Jesus. Every day.
Thank you so much for stopping by! I pray you will enjoy it here and that your heart will be filled with encouragement as you live your own brand of chaos.
Why “The Laughing Grandma?”
Grandparents have a responsibility to shine the joy of Jesus into the lives of our husbands, adult kids, and grandbabies. It’s a privilege…but one that comes with infinite opportunities for fear, worry, and sleepless nights. When I realized that my “being in control” days were over, I also realized how sadly unprepared I was to navigate these new waters without drowning myself or anyone else. Not only was I swimming in the deep end, “grandpa” and I often struggled to agree on the best way to proceed.
If you’re in the same boat, jump on in – the water’s warm! Let’s work together to become grandpas and grandmas who are clothed with strength and dignity, able to laugh without fear of the future (Proverbs 31:25). The Laughing Grandma offers support for these grandparenting years, fun ideas for being the joy of Jesus to your husband, adult kids, and grandbabies, and powerful prayers for surrendering control to God and trusting him with our precious families. No gimmicks. No hidden agenda. Just honest talk about being parents and grandparents.
Why the Dandelion logo? And what’s a “puffball”?
Our lawn is usually immaculate and never because of me. Grandpa is a master of making it green and lush and dandelion-free. And I’m told that’s a good thing. No really, it is a good thing and I enjoy the results of his labor. But I still love dandelions.
Dandelions begin their lives tucked away, emerge into sunny bursts of potential, and transform into irresistible puffballs of seeds that float away to begin the process all over again. And what kid can pass by a dandelion puff without stopping to rid the stem of it’s seeds? I mean, what’s not to love!
We grandparents are in the puffball stage. It’s cliché, I know. And it’s not a commentary on our puffy years – though the struggle is real! It’s a commentary on our purpose. We’ve experienced excitement, change, beauty, celebration, struggle, and pain. And now is our time to embrace our inner puffball, and to plant seeds that begin the process all over again…to pass along the wisdom and joy God’s given us, to the people we love most. It’s our time to embrace the future without fear by embracing our purpose, knowing that the future is in God’s hands. Our family is in His hands.
So, that’s it! The Laughing Grandma logo is a visual reminder that we grandparents are called by God to plant seeds of wisdom and joy in the hearts of our family, and to face the future without fear. Proverbs 31:25
KRISTI is the author of the Before books and coloring books for children and the Your Soul To Keep one-year prayer book for parents of adults. She writes to inspire parents and grandparents to shine the joy of Jesus into the lives of their families and to laugh without fear of the future (Proverbs 31:25). She and her husband Tim live in Iowa where they love doing life with their sons and daughters-in-law, six grandbabies, and two very spoiled dogs. Contact Kristi at kristi@thelaughinggrandma.com or Facebook Messenger.