Taking Census

Today is my youngest grandson's 21st birthday. That's Devin in front. The photo was taken eight years ago at my brother's 70th birthday party.

Here's a more recent one so you can see how handsomely he has grown up.

I'm very proud of him. I'm proud of all nine of my grandchildren.




I woke up this morning thinking about taking census. I suppose because of the combination of my youngest grandchild officially becoming an adult and the Christmas story.

How do you count your progeny? Only the ones related by blood? Or do you include the steps - children, grands and great grands? And in-laws?

For me to keep track of all the great-grands, I have to write down their names and birthdates as soon as they are born. I'll never have as many as my grandmother Delphia did when she died. We both started out with three children, but she had 16 grandchildren where I had nine. At the time of her death, she had 49 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great grands.

If I had to return to the town of my birth for census taking, as Joseph did, I would not have to travel far. Even though I grew up near Corning and consider it my home town, I retired to Creston where I was born. (No hospital in Corning at the time.)

So, here is my personal census: Three children, Douglas, Kari and Preston and one stepson, Mark and their partners, Shelly, Ken, Shalea and Juliet. Nine grandchildren, Brock, Zachary, Katrina, Alyssa, Ki, Kathryn, Deise, Dominique and Devin. Brock, Katrina and Alyssa partners, Jennifer, Brad and Evan and Kathryn's fiance, Travis. Two step-great-grands, Michael and Nicholas and nine, so far, great-grands, Brock's Ridge, Sawyer and Jack, Katrina's Rodney and Brynley, Alyssa's Lily and Maverick and Ki's Ayden and Greyson.

Why do I always feel like I am forgetting someone? Think my grandma Delphia might have felt the same? As far as I know, I am not expecting any new great-grands in 2019, but that can always change!

Children range in age from 56 down to 44. Grands from 37 down to 21. Great-grands from nine down to eleven months. Two step-great-grands are 17 and 14.

I've said it many times - "I am so glad I had my children when I was young so I have been able to play with my grandchildren and hold my great-grandchildren."