FOUR MOORE BOYS...

GREG - I think Greg was about 14- 15 when he became a Grandson by marriage...and by then it was hard to develop a close relationship because all older people become 'dumber than dirt' during those specific teen years.

I haven't seen Greg for sometime as he has been living with his natural mother...and turning 'left' in some areas where he needs to turn 'right', but I think he will turn things around one of these days because he is a good kid right under the surface of the rebellion.

Greg has always been very respectful to me, and has a good heart and sense of humor as well. I think that his good sense of humor will help him face some tough choices so he can get on track and use all those smarts for something good and meaningful to him in his life. Fingers crossed, and little prayers go out to Him. He's a pretty fine skateboarder too and has a natural athletic ability too.

TOM

Tom was about eleven years old when my daughter Lindsay, and Jim married so I had the opportunity to develop a great relationship with him over time.

He may stay with us in Oregon when he goes to college next year, and it is always great to spend some time with him...even though he has a very busy schedule right now...as we seem to have a lot to talk about together. He is a great kid..or I should say 'young man now' and here he is shown with his McDonald's uniform on, ready to go to work and standing in front of his car.

If I had to pick someone I know who could be President of the United States, it would be Tom. I don't think Tom will have any skeletons in his closet to fear exposure of, and Tom hates to do anything...and I mean anything...wrong. He is connected to learning about God more than I have ever seen any young man, except my own son Joey...which seems unbelievable to have two 'seekers' in the family like that.

I loved discussing the Bible and the meaning of scriptures as I see and understand it with Joey when he was home...and we could spend hours on that topic alone, and no I feel like I have a good kindred spirit in that discussion with Tom as well. I'm not much for "organized religion" anymore as they seem to get more 'corporate and showbiz-like' as the years wear on...but I can't wait until Tom and Joey...maybe son David and I can sneak off during the holidays and talk about the principles of the Bible and how we are applying them in our lives..or not.

Now, that is a church I can really 'get into' if that makes any sense at all to anyone except those mentioned above.













EAN - Now 18 months old, was the first natural blood Grandson. He is of course, adorable...but so lovable too. Not so much 'lovin' for Grammy as I have become pretty much of a 'stranger' to him over the past year.

He kinda gives me the 'eye' as I drop into his life outta no where...and he treats me much like he does a couple of stuffed animals he has decided to be 'scared of' for the moment, including the little stick horse I brought him and the cub from the Lion King. He doesn't pay much attention to the word 'no' yet, but I think Jim and Lindsay were genius when they set that suddenly 'scary' Lion stuffed animal on top of the DVD player so Ean would leave it alone. I never thought of those kind of things when my kids were small but I did keep a plastic spider in my drawer to keepmy Grand daughter, Emily out of my desk now that I think of it. The horse is sort of relegated to a hidden barn behind the couch as Ean doesn't even like the looks of it...but I have a feeling in a few months he will be riding it...since at Christmas time, Emily promised she would teach EAN to ride a stick horse as well as she does at two and a half.

Knowing how the 'younger ones' always want to tag along with the 'older' cousins...I have a feeling when EAN heads home after Christmas that old scary stick horse will become a worthy steed if Emily has anything to do with it.

EAN is in constant motion from the time he gets up until he hits the sack...but is very good about taking naps and going to bed at night...in fact, he ASKS to go to bed and gets kinda cranky when it is delayed. He is just starting to talk and is saying (and repeating) words now. He virtually ignored the existence of his new brother most of the time as he is still a baby himself aware only of his own needs and wants...but during those moments when he did connect with baby Benjamin...he was very tender with him.

Benjamin doesn't seem to have the same 'amazing' laid back nature EAN had when he was very small...he's kinda fussy unless he is being held and seems to have a touch of colic so doesn't appear all that 'comfortable' in his own skin yet...but then it is hard to judge when the little guy is only three weeks old this Sunday. As EAN gets older he'll gain a longer memory of Grammie...but for now, he seems to sense I am 'someone he sort of remembers' ...and is willing to play with me a little 'roughhouse' here and there...but crawling on my lap and hugging me is definitely OUT for now. That is one heavy price I've had to pay and swallow when I chose to move away from Visalia. When children are small...they will even forget their parents if their parents aren't around very long. Grammies are no exception to that rule.

BENJAMIN, on the other hand could care less who is holding him at this point so I was able to snuggle with him a lot and watch all those funny faces and eye movements they have when they are newborn. He really started to 'focus' on me though before I left to come home...and he is going to have the same beautiful blue eyes that EAN has I am pretty certain.

I may get into trouble for saying this, but newborns all look kind of strange to me...and did even when my own children were born. People say "Oh, what a beautiful baby!" and I take a second and third look to see what I am missing in my own evaluation? They remind me of tiny little old people...sort of pruned up and frowning most of the time.

Now, I don't blame them for appearing like that considering they have to learn to eat and breathe and take a dump and have no control whatsoever of their hands and feet or even their eyeballs...as one eye goes one way and the other eye the opposite. Newborns are very precious because they are so helpless and tiny and their skin is so soft and that 'infant smell' draws me to them. Yet, call it gas or a freak of nature....but when they 'smile' it is like their whole face lights up and you just can't NOT respond to that in delight!

The "Moores" and their BOYS are coming to our new home for Christmas though and Benjamin will be looking more like a baby boy than a little old man by then, but I have a hunch that he is going to look more like his Daddy...while Ean seems to favor his Mom.

BUT...there is no denying the "Moore" bloodline in any of the Boys...that's as clear as the nose on your face. I hear that there are not going to be ANY MORE...MOORE BOYS from headquarters in Visalia...nor any try for a MOORE GIRL either. I think Jim comes from a family of five or six brothers and only one sister...so unless they want to risk a Basketball team...it might be all right to settle for the FOUR MOORE MUSKETEERS, no?