Flowers are the perfect sentiment for every occasion that we experience in the Circle of Life, from the birth of a child to the passing of a grandparent.

If there is an occasion, my husband (Poppy) is there with flowers. After dating for a week, he sent me two dozen roses. The roses were yellow because the florist ran out of red since it was the week of Christmas, so now the yellow rose holds great sentiment for me. Yellow roses evoke memories of important events in my 36 years of marriage to Poppy…our wedding, anniversaries, births of our children, birthdays, and sympathy for my father’s unexpected death.

Weddings

Certainly you’ve enjoyed the beauty of flowers at weddings. Wedding flowers have always symbolized happiness. Perhaps the flowers chosen by the bride held special meaning for her and her your groom. My bouquet of soft white flowers was interspersed with yellow roses. My flower girl dropped yellow rose petals down the aisle as I approached my soon to be husband. The tradition of dropping petals as the bride walks towards her groom was to ensure a life of happiness…so far so good!

Also, the leaving of thank you gifts for the wedding guests originated with leaving floral nosegays on the table for each guest as a way to share the wedding couple’s happiness. When meeting with your wedding florist, ask about the meaning of wedding flowers that are used for bouquets and arrangements to make your floral displays more meaningful for you.

Can we conceive what humanity would be if it did not know the flowers? ~Maurice Maeterlinck

Birthdays

Whenever I have a birthday, I look forward to receiving birthday flowers from Poppy. Even though I know they’re coming, he surprises me with a different bouquet (but always with a few yellow roses) each birthday. Just as wedding flowers are associated with tradition and meanings, so are birthday flowers. Each of the twelve months has its own birthday flower with its own meaning.

My birth flower is the Rose which has been a symbol for love and passion (red) since the beginning of time. But it also represents beauty and perfection…a very romantic flower. The yellow rose represents warmth and friendship and if it has red tips, then it means falling in love. The white rose, of course, represents innocence and purity. If you really want to make an impressive statement, research the meanings of birthday flowers and create a mixed bouquet to fit your loved one’s personality or to express your feelings.

Funerals

When words escape, flowers speak. ~ Bruce W. Currie

Sympathy flowers offer comfort to those that have lost a loved one. Also their beauty reminds us to celebrate the life of the deceased. When my mother-in-law passed away last month, friends and family provided floral arrangements instead of sending donations as requested. The viewing and grave site would have been so cold looking if it were not for the sympathy flowers. Our children and grandchildren expressed their love for Mom Mom with a large red heart encircled with a white ribbon with the words, “Mom Mom.” On the casket was a large white spray symbolizing the peace and tranquility of her passing.

As the quotes express, flowers are an important part of our Circle of Life. They bring happiness, allow us to express our feelings, and celebrate life from the beginning through to the end.

The holidays are fast approaching. The grandchildren are back in school, so now there is time do some holiday gift planning.

I like to start early with our holiday planning, which, of course, has holiday shopping for our grandchildren at the top of my “to do” list. In previous posts I introduced you to MyTwinnDolls.com where you can find personalized, just-like-me dolls and accessories. Be sure to watch the YouTube.com video on how the My Twinn Dolls are made.

This next holiday gift idea is also a fun personalized gift for young children. As you know, young grandchildren love to listen to, sing to, and dance to music, especially when sung by their favorite characters AND the lyrics include the child’s very own name…you have ingredients for a gift that will surely please your grandchildren for a long time coming. Most presents are played with and forgotten, if not broken by Valentine’s Day.  This personalized gift will go on and on until the CD is worn out, and that surely is a great value for the price!

 “What is the gift,” you ask? This wonderful gift is a personalized CD with songs by today’s most popular characters known to young grandchildren.  Visit AllAboutYouKids.comto find more information on the personalized CDs by VeggieTales, Elmo, Disney Princesses, Barney, The Wiggles, and of course, Mickey, Minnie and Goofy.

The same day I received a poem written by a grandmother in Australia for her new granddaughter, we received a phone call from our granddaughter Kaitlin…

The phone rang. It was Kaitlin, our seven-year-old granddaughter and we could hear her two-and-a-half year old sister next to her. Kaitlin sounded so grown up when she asked for…Poppy!  “Don’t you want to talk to Nana?” Kaitlin said she wanted both of us on the phone, which I thought was very diplomatic of her.

Poppy gets on the other phone, we’re both sitting in the living room on cordless phones now. Poppy says, “Hi, Tinker!” There is silence…and we wait…then we hear, “Do you want another grandchild?” Then there is silence…ours…maybe they’re getting a puppy? So we answer What? Who? (Grandparents can be so dumb sometimes…) She yells, “Mommy!” 

So, Mommy gets on the phone and says, “Beginning of May.”  We say, “Uh, Oh” (after we congratulate eveyone, of course)…her brother’s wedding is the end of May and the next Saturday was when we would be shopping for bridesmaids dresses.  There will be some last minute alterations to be made…

It is amazing how the circle of life goes on. A month after my father-in-law passed away, our first daughter was born. After a dear friend passed, our second daughter was born. A week after my father passed away, our son was born. Now about one month after my mother-in-law has passed, we find we will have a third grandchild in the Spring, a time of rebirth…perhaps on Mother’s Day?

Spring is going to be exciting and crazy around here, and I can’t wait!

To My Beautiful Granddaughter

Born on 25^th August 2008

When you came into this world, undoubtedly in no hurry
My anxious prayers were answered, no more need to worry
Daddy was a little shocked as he thought you were a “he”
Mummy couldn’t believe you weighed a healthy eight pound three!

On that warm winter Monday, sun shining with skies so blue
I felt blessed to have a granddaughter as beautiful as you
My “Lyla Alexandra” your life has just begun
A little ray of sunshine and so loved by everyone

From the first time I held you, cradled in my arms so sweet
You stole my heart away and have made my life complete
A perfect little granddaughter, a gift from heaven above
My eyes just fill with tears and my heart so full of love

You were only three days old when I was giving you a bath
I was a little clumsy as your mummy looked on and laughed
Though during those precious moments turning to look my way
You were so intent with listening to all I had to say

I think of you every minute and although we are miles apart
Your picture on my computer sure does melt my heart
With the face of little angel so pretty with soft dark hair
Every night before I close my eyes I say a little prayer

We will have fun times together, little holidays as such
I’ll always want to cuddle you and feel your gentle touch
I want to tell you stories and teach you everything
Hear your laughs and giggles whilst dancing as we sing

I have everything I’ve hoped for and will never want for more
I treasure my beautiful family and forever love you all
As a Nana and a granddaughter, our journey has just begun
My heart is yours forever, God bless you little one

Love always

Nana Julie xxx
31^st Aug 2008
Australia
 

Handprint poems, photos, and crafts are very popular gifts to give to grandparents. Grandchildren’s handprints can be the center of fun grandparent and grandchildren fun activities, too.

Last week, Poppy and I took Emily and Kaitlin to the beach for some sun and fun before we all had to go back to school this week (except for Poppy).

This is a digital photo of Emily’s (2 1/2) handprint. Next time I’m going to take a better picture. And, of course, I’ll take one of Kaitlin’s too, one of their hands together, one of Poppy’s and my hands, and one of all our hands in the sand as keepsakes of our fun in the sun at the Jersey shore. I’ll frame each of the 5 photos in a square frame and display them along the stairway hall.

If you have time to get to the beach or have a sandbox, gather the grandchildren and a digital camera and snap away! It will be fun for your grandchildren to compare sizes and differences of the hands in the sand and digital photos.  Let your grandchildren take pictures, too and display them along with your photos.

For more fun, take different objects and press them into the sand, then vary the distance and lighting for added effects. It is also a good lesson in cause and effect besides making comparison.

Enjoy your time together while you can…it goes so fast!  Whenever you are with your grandchildren, it is always a Grandparent and Grandchildren Day…a special day.

If you haven’t visited the Legacy Project’s website, you should. There are intergenerational activities for grandparents and grandchildren to do together. You will also find a Grandparents Day activity kit with ideas and tips to bring grandparents and grandchildren closer together including parenting tips to help build stronger relationships. Read about and write your own Life’s Statement and share it with your grandchildren. You’ll be glad you found the Legacy Project’s website.

OVERVIEW

The Legacy Project explores who we are, where we’ve come from, and where we’re going – as individuals and as communities. It is a “big picture,” multigenerational education initiative that builds on and enhances the education children receive in school, and provides avenues for lifelong learning for all ages.

The Legacy Project offers opportunities for children and adults to think, to learn, to dream, and to make a difference in their own life and our world.

To borrow a common phrase, the Legacy Project not only looks at the trees, but also the forest. We bring together diverse ideas to explore current issues like the importance of building intergenerational connections and the ideas passed from one generation to the next; who children are now and the dreams for who they will become; the lifelong learning potential of adults; our connection to and impact on the environment; the kinds of communities we want to create; and the choices we make every day that have both short-term and long-term consequences on personal and social levels.

Read more…

• Legacy Project Overview
• For Grandparents
• Grandparents Day Activity Kit