Micki Speer, Ortiz:  

Life I recently became Grandma for the 7th time, My youngest, a boy, Michael, 20yrs. just had his first son also named Michael, he is the first of my children, or any one in my family for that matter, to name a child after them selves. I have 2 daughters, Bobbie, 32, has 1 boy, Dakota, 5, and 2 girls, Madisyn Shyan, 2 and Morgan Bailee, 1. My youngest daughter Brandi also has 3, Brooke, 11, Brandon, 4, and Megyn, 1. They of course are all beautiful. I am called Abuelita (grandma in spanish) because I live in California which is predominately Hispanic nowadays, and the g-kids readily think of me and don't have to ask " which g-ma"? Nor do I have to go by my last name with them, this feels much more personal. I do not get to see my beautiful babies as often as I would like to, as travel gets quite expensive, If I fly I then have to rent a vehicle, and that gets pricey when you stay for 3 weeks or more, and if I drive while gas prices are so high........ well we are all effected by these expenses. Living here and having family there has afforded my children, g-kids and myself, many opportunities to travel to places we might not have otherwise have gone to such as: Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arizona, Grand Canyon, New Mexico. Mexico, Many cities throughout California. Also Utah: Bryce Canyon, Zion National, Salt Lake, Moab. When traveling the northern route we have visited such places as Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, Yellostone, Mt. Rushmore, The Canyon Lands, the Badlands, The Black Hills, the Trail made famous by the Ingalls of Little House on the Prarie, from DeSmet, SouthDakota, to Walnut Grove, and Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. I feel my children and I have been privileged to see this beautiful country that we live in, and have not even seen half of what there is to see. I hope to continue traveling, as time seems to get shorter with each passing day, and everything I can share with my family will get added to my memory book of the most precious times spent in my life. To me there is nothing like the excitement and anticipation of things to be seen through the eyes and hearts of my children and their children. Who would have ever thought I would have done so many wonderful things and had 7 grand children by the age of 51. Oh I know there are others that have done more and at a younger age but, for me these are great accomplishments, as I never wanted to be anything more or less than the all important wife and MOM. I Have been slowly retireing from my Tile setting business as my knees have decided that I will not be kneeling on them any more, sometimes just walking is a painful task. What a time to...Expand for more