Roosevelt and Cynthia, PROUD GRANDPARENTS!!!

Well, here we are, Roosevelt Calloway and Cynthia Laws Calloway, proud grandparents. We are pictured here with daughter, Cheryl (background), and three of her four children. CJ, in dark suit, Aleah and Zion, baby in front. (her son Jace was born 2/27/2010) We are the grandparents of ten--Yes, I said, ten, grandchildren and one great, grandson. We are doing this as a married couple, very different from what we knew of our grandparents. When we knew them, they were all single women. We have had to learn a lot about how to work with each other to be a help to our three daughters and to help them care for their children and grandchild. We keep images of our parents and grandparents patterns of love, discipline and training present in our minds and hearts. We try to encourage each grandchild to love and be respectful. We pray daily for all of them and call them each by name and need. We thank God for answered prayers. We will post their pictures on this blog to let you know how proud we are of them. For we have learned above all that GRANDPARENTS ARE PROUD OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN!!!

My Dad's mother, Alcenia Laws Jenkins, teaches BEAUTY!

In this picture is my dad's mother, Alcenia Laws Jenkins (in black robe). She sits here with my mother, Rutha Mae and a great,grandson, Nathan. As you can see, she was a lady of beauty and poise. She believed in elegance and genteel-ness. At her house, we had tea parties, with real English tea cups. We formally set the table for meals and practiced acting like "proper" ladies and gentlemen. She taught me respectability. GRANDMOTHERS TEACH GRANDCHILDREN HOW TO ACT! She reminded me, that as the oldest, I was responsible for being a role model for my brothers and sisters. As a grandmother, I strive to still be a role model for my children and grandchildren. I am not sure I have the beauty and genteel thing down, but I try never to be an embarrassment to them. I try always to encourage them to surround themselves with love. GRANDMOTHERS TEACH SELF LOVE AND SELF RESPECT! I LOVE MY GRANDCHILDREN!

My Grandmother, Druscilla Small, taught me to Pray without Ceasing!

This is Chelsey Williams oldest daughter, Druscilla Small, and my grandmother. Druscilla also taught me about being a grandmother. She stayed on her knees! Her bedroom was just next to the living room, and every morning and every night as I walked passed her bedroom to go to the bathroom, I saw her on her knees next to her bed, praying. Grandmothers pray for their children and grandchildren... a lot! When I knew my grandmothers, they were both, single women. I was born in Druscilla's house when, as a single woman, she still had seven of her children still living under her roof. She prayed a lot!!!! Her prayers saved them all, put them through high school, and college, and got them all in and through good careers! GRANDMOTHERS PRAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN! I pray for my children and grandchildren, daily.

Chelsey Williams, my Great, Grandmother

This is Chelsey Williams, my great, grandmother--the one with the hat on sitting in the chair. That is me, Cynthia, standing next to the chair, and my new baby sister, Alcenia, on her lap. Both my great, grandmother and Alcenia are gone to be with the Lord, now. Chelsey Williams is the person who taught me how to be a grandmother. Praise the Lord for grandmothers! How?
First, she, enjoyed my presence in her life. Even here you see her smiling holding a busy little baby and steadying me, a precocious little three year old. The little girl on her should is a neighbor girl who just liked to hang around her. Grandmothers enjoy the presence of their grandchildren--and other children... Next, she taught me not to wet the bed. Yep, if you are reading this, you will probably do a double take, but I said it... She stopped me from wetting the bed. How? I started to wet her one night as I slept with her and she pinched me! Ooh! I instantly stopped and went to the bathroom. Bedwetting solved! So, grandmothers help grandkids overcome negative habits. Praise the Lord for GRANDMOTHERS!