Connor and Blake call me Gram.  Or at least they did call me Gram up until about a month or so ago.  Now when they see me they yell, “Grammy!” or in Blake’s case (he is “G” challenged at the moment) “Dammy!”

My heart absolutely melts when they call me Grammy.  It is sooo sweet, sooo special.  Gram is fine, but Grammy is personal (they thought it up by themselves), and affectionate, and just so darn cute.

 They still occasionally call me Gram, or Gram-a-lama-ding-dong when Connor is being silly.  (Is this where I insert that they’ve grown fond of “idiot!” when they’re angry??  I heard one of their favorite cartoon characters using this lovely one…they pick up EVERYTHING!)

Grammy seems to be reserved for the following:

1. When they haven’t seen me in a while they yell, “Grammy!!!” and run toward me at full speed as if to tackle me.
2. When they want something from me they put on their sweet voice, “Grammy, can I have that Star Wars Lego set I saw on the TV?”
3. When they’re snuggling up to me at night before sleep and have the almost-asleep groggy voice, “I love you Grammy.”

It is my favorite term of endearment.  Gram is the everyday name, Grammy is the special one.

We had a slumber party last night.  As I lay in bed sandwiched between Connor and Blake – or should I say early this morning, like 3:30 AM early – I thought about the names that they call me.  Most slumber parties include Blake’s 3:00 AM strawberry milk request.  Blake’s soft voice wakes me with “Dammy, I need strawberry milk.”  Even though I don’t like being awakened at this hour, it seems palatable when it is with Blake’s soft, sweet, slow “Dammy”.

I retrieved the strawberry milk, watched Blake grab for it with eyes still closed, and suck it down.  While I lay there trying to fall back asleep, I thought about my relationship these two precious boys, and about my relationship with God.  What do I call God?  Do I call him God mostly, Father when I need something, Lord when I am in trouble….?  Do I have different names for him?  I do, but why? How do I decide what to call Him?

Marilyn Hickey has a book, “The Names of God”.  I think about my names for God.  Healer, Provider, Comforter, Strong Tower, Father, Holy…but what do I CALL Him?

What makes him feel the way I do when I hear “Grammy”?