Gary AndrewsLast week was big for Linda and I as we welcomed our sixth grandchild to the world.
Grant and Mary Catherine gave us a new grandson named William Grant Andrews. He came in weighing 8 lbs. 6 ozs. and was 21.5 inches long.
His fingers are very long,  and I feel he will be a good basketball player, but with the size he already is and with his big feet, he will probably do anything he wants. Of course, Granddaddy and Dad want a ball player.
Lilly Cate, Will’s two year old sister, is already throwing a ball around the house, and I figure within a few months she will be wanting Will to play. The parents are going to have to keep close tabs on this very active young lady.
If I had just an ounce of her energy I could last all week. Linda, Grant, and Mary Catherine say I am the cause of a lot of this energy because I keep chocolate candy in my office, and Lilly knows exactly where it is. I am sure she will be telling her younger brother about the stash as soon as he is able to get around by himself.
Grayson, my five year old grandson in Hernando likes jelly beans, so I have a container of jelly beans in my office also. Maybe he will grow up to be another Ronald Reagan because the actor and former president also loved jelly beans.
With his wit and wisdom I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned out to be lawyer, doctor or in professional sales. The other day his younger sister came to visit, and she and Lilly had a grand time playing with each other. There are only four days separating this duo’s birthdays, and they are quite comical when they are together. I must say I love it except when they have disagreements and both want Granddaddy at the same time.
Alexis, my 8-year old granddaughter who lives in South Carolina, loves for her Granny and Granddaddy to come and visit. On our last trip I was simply amazed at the level of play and make shift attitude she possesses.
My daughter has just bought a rug for their den. The floor, which is a composed of large squared ceramic tiles, was hard for the kids to sit or play on. Alexis loved the new rug.
All of us had gone to eat out on the same day the rug came, and Alexis was so excited that she asked her Granny to cut our outing short so she and Granny could get on the new rug and play. What an inexpensive way of keeping the grandchildren.
Hayden, my 10-year old grandson who is Alexis’ brother, just finished another fine season in baseball.
This being his first year in South Carolina and his first summer to play with new friends, he found it very rewarding. When he was six years old and playing with the Canton, Ga. Stingers, his team won that age group’s world series. This year his team finished third place in the world series.
Hayden’s coach this year is an Atlanta Braves former pitcher. To hear how much he has taught this team through love and good sportsmanship is a challenge for all little league coaches everywhere.
As Linda and I approach those years  of less work and more travel ,we are blessed to have four great children, two good sons-in-law, one fabulous daughter-in-law and six wonderful grandchildren.
God has richly blessed our family with much love, and for all of this we give Him all the praise.
It is my prayer that Linda and I have the opportunity along with our children to see all of our grandchildren raised in a loving, God-fearing  home, in a good and happy family life, and they are taught right from wrong along with the courtesies, discipline and attitude it takes to succeed.              
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Gary Andrews is the editor and publisher of The Yazoo Herald.