Mamaw and Papaw

When we lived in Kentucky, our children’s friends called their grandparents Mamaw and Papaw.  In Texas, they were Meemaw and Peepaw.  For my grandchildren, I chose the German version, Oma.  My husband is Opa.  My daughter in law’s mother is Buela, a slightly shortened version of the Spanish grandma.  My mother was Gammy to my kids, my father Papa.  My sister, because her oldest grandchild couldn’t say the word Grandma, forever and after became Munga to those who followed.  In keeping with her Swedish heritage, my mother in law liked Farmor, the word for father’s mother.  I know a grandmother called Nana, a great grandmother who is called Gigi and a grandfather who is Grumpus. My husband’s mother many years ago used to sign her letters to us, “Mom and Dad, Margaret and Lester, Grandma and Grandpa. We are many things to many people.”  A crazily long handwritten signature block and my husband and I used to get a big kick out of it.  Now I think she may have been right on!