Forty Years After I Became A Grandmother...

...I'm gonna be a great-great-grandmother. I already knew I was going to be great-grandma again in 2021, so last evening when I learned through Facebook that there is another great-grandbaby expected next year, I didn't think much beyond Congratulations! to the grandmother.

This morning I woke up realizing that if my granddaughter-in-law is going to be a grandmother, that means I will be a great-great-grandmother - by way of a step-great-granddaughter I have yet to meet.

There is nothing new about blended families and step-children, but family trees can become hard to build with the inclusion of all the branches.

My first two step-great-grandchildren are eldest granddaughter Katrina's stepsons, Michael and Nicholas. They have been part of our family since they were very young. 

Michael recently graduated from Army basic training and Nicholas is in high school. 

Michael and Nicholas were nine and six when my first two direct lineage great-grandsons were born in 2009 - Katrina's son Rodney and Brock's son Ridge.

I could further muddy the waters by explaining Brock and Katrina are half-siblings and Brock's sons are also half-siblings, as are my own children. 

But to cut through lengthy explanations, Brock became step-father to Brianna and Mariah (now 18 and 20) when he and Jennifer married about three years ago.

And Jen became step-mom to Brock's three boys, Sawyer (7), Ridge (11), and Jack (6).

Imagine having your two girls almost raised and then taking on three young boys!

Brianna (striped shirt) is a senior this year. I've only met her a couple times. Her sister Mariah (in hat), I've never met, but technically, will be great-great-grandmother to her baby. I just hope that once the pandemic is less a disruption of our lives I get to meet Mariah and her baby.