Meagan, Todd & Wade Visit August 2008

We had a wonderful weekend with the kids...I adore my grandson "Wade". He is 6 months old and so much fun! I do love being a grandmommy!

Summer Fun 2008

Wow...summer is flying by...Ethan enjoys wake boarding and paint ball with friends. Joanne and I go out on the boat with our cosmos to watch the sunsets and talk about girl stuff. We went to a great restaurant in Morehead City for Joanne's birthday...The food was wonderful and we had a great time. Hope you all are having a fun summer!

More Summer Heart Tour Pictures

Summer Heart Tour Pictures

Summer Heart Tour June 2008

Ethan and I took a wonderful road trip this summer and visited relatives and friends. We had so many wild and funny experiences that we will remember forever. But the greatest part of our journey was spending quality time with Ethan. He is growing up so fast and I am so proud of the young man he has become. Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed our trip!

Summer is Here 2008

I've been bad about updating this blog...so here goes...
We celebrated Chelsea's graduation from the College of Charleston in May. She is working 3 jobs...Cargo Hold (designing jewelry), Yacht Club (good tips) and she scored an internship with Charleston Magazine which will hopefully turn into a future job as a designer...she is so creative and smart. Now she is in search of finding a (reasonable) place to live (in Charleston). I know she will do well...I'm so proud of her.

Meagan is the greatest mother. She has read every book imaginable about motherhood. She has figured out that sometimes she just has to go with what feels right to her...She should write a book about following your motherly instincts. And Wade...what can I say...being a grandmommy is the greatest...I spent a few days with him a couple of weeks ago...He is so funny...I got to see him giggle...and he just steals my heart!

Ethan,,,my little (big) boy! Every day he gets up and I swear he has grown over night...Like the movie "Big" with Tom Hanks...He is busting out of his pajamas! He finish the 7th grade and stayed on the Honor Role all year. He scored very high on the end of the year test (98% group). Now we are looking for way to keep him challenged. He is so good to me...he helps me clean house...(he enjoys the drawing chores game...and especially when he gets...rest and watch tv 3 minutes!) He is my traveling companion and we have so much fun together.

I thank God each day for my wonderful children and grandchild.
On to more adventures...

2008 Spring Update

On April 6th Ethan turned 13...He is now taller than me and is the greatest kid in the world...He makes good grades, is respectfully and a very caring young man...

Meagan and Todd are wonderful parents to Wade. They are going "green" on all they can and Meagan is even keeping up with how much money they are saving by doing this. Cloth diapers, dish towels rather than paper towels and others things.

Chelsea is getting ready to graduate...YEAH!!! She is graduating with honors from the College of Charleston. She is a very talented artist.

I'm so very proud of all my children...they are all so special and such a blessing.

Welcome Springtime and New Little Ones

Spring is my favorite time of year...I love working in the yard...and painting on my screen porch...I try to copy some of Chelsea's art work...but mine always ended up like a first grade drawing in the hall at the elementary school! Speaking of Chelsea...she is in Key West, Florida for spring break...lucky her...We can't afford those great vacations anymore with the price of gas eating us out of house and home! Well,,, I'd rather spend my vacation days visiting my kids, family and that sweet grandson, Wade...I know he misses me...I talk to him everyday...he is my screen saver! We're going to Charis and Mark for Easter and Meagan, Todd and Wade will be there too...I love to spend holidays at Charis...she always makes everything so fun!

We are so excited that Cash will be returning from Iraq in about a week...Kristin and Isabelle came over for a St. Patrick's dinner last night...Kristin has slimmed down and looks great. Isabelle...is still as beautiful as the day she was born.

I've also included a picture of good ole Ralph...When he looked at my blog the other day he asked if he was part of the family...of course you are Ralph...I'm happy he is taking some time off work to join us on our trip to SC...See everyone soon...Thank you Easter Bunny!

Weekend in Charleston

We had a wonderful time in Charleston this weekend. Chelsea had an art show in the park. Ethan was was traveling companion and Todd and Meagan brought Wade (My grandson is 5 weeks old now). Angie Pike stopped by an purchased a piece of art work from Chelsea. Chelsea graduates in May from the College of Charleston...Time really does fly!

He has arrived... Meet "Wade Todd Leventis"....my first grandchild. Born on Friday, January 25, 2008, his birthing process seemed to come right out of a text book. I received a call on Thursday, the 24th, from Meagan that she was going in the next morning. I arrived at the hospital around 11 am and Todd called me to come back to see Meagan. I could not believe how cool and collected she was...smiling and so cheerful and excited...she very casually said she could start pushing when the doctor arrived at noon! (Crazy...but I seem to remember that my body told me when to push...and I didn't have alot of control...guess I forgot to read the book called "The Perfect Birth"...maybe Meagan should write it!)

Anyway, about an hour later...Wade arrived!He was a fat little thing...weighing 8 pounds and 12 ounces, 21 inches long. Still seeing my firstborn holding her firstborn still brings complete joy to my heart.

They came home on Sunday and I stayed for a few days. I love holding my grandson...and if I could bottle the smell of a newborn, I would be rich...holding him close is intoxicating and I feel such peace and tranquility.

I'm so impress with Meagan's mothering skills. It is almost like she has grown into a new person with her additude and efficiency of great parenting. I am so proud of her.

And Todd, can't forget the "Baby's Daddy"... he is handsome on the outside and beautiful on the inside.

Wade Todd is so lucky to be born to such wonderful parents. Welcome baby Wade! GRANDMOMMY LOVES YOU!

by Billie

Waiting...Waiting...Wading

It's all about the ring tone now! I have a special ring tone for Meagan and each time I hear it my adrenaline starts rushing...My friend Joanne went to South Carolina with me this week-end. We went to Meagan's shower given by her friends. (By the way...she has the sweetest friends...and they are all beautiful...their mothers are too...of course!)

Meagan says she's ready to go...she can only clean the house so many times...wish she lived closer to me...mine could use some work...Hopefully, the next time you read this our waiting, waiting will be over and we will be all about the "Wading"! :)

Christmas 2007 and New Year's 2008

Greetings from The Gaskins Family. We had a very eventful and quick Christmas, a nice peaceful New Years and now anxiously awaiting the arrival of Meagan and Todd's son, "Wade". It still hasn't sunk in that I am actually going to be a grandmother and struggle with what I will be called...So many of the grandmotherly names just don't fit me (just like the name Pat...only some who read this will understand what that means...) I want to be called something...well cool or hot...or what ever the politically correct name is now for being "in". I thought about grand ma ma...but the kid would need to speak with an accent...or how about B...but that's what Ralph calls me when he's upset with me....Oh well...guess we'll just have to wait to see what the little genius comes up with....after all he will be very smart....cause he's my grandson! (Well...maybe not in the spelling department) (Meagan and Charis...please correct my spelling...does this darn thing have spell check) XOXO Billie, B, Grand ma ma :)