Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Alexander Family Addition

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On January 19, the Alexander family grew by one more very little precious one. Meet Ari Rose, our first granddaughter. . .

Ari (pronounced Ari as in “safari”) is little sister to Leo who is 13 months and a “chonk” as we call him…

As we tell Kurt and Kellie, Ari and Leo’s parents, they make cute kids! 😉

Leo is the spitting image of Kurt as a baby, and Ari looks just like Kellie. Kellie joked during pregnancy that she really wanted a “beach buddy” who has her (lovely) olive complexion who can tan with her. And that is definitely NOT an Alexander gene, lemme tell ya.

We think she got that beach buddy in Ari, but time will tell. If not, Ari can join Leo and GramTam under the umbrella!

If I haven’t said it lately, I adore being GramTam. It’s one of the greatest blessings—and most fun things—of this life yet.

If you’re a grandmother, what do your grandchildren call you? Or what have your children named you if—like me—your grandchildren aren’t old enough yet to have even said your “grandma name?”

I’m neck deep in another deadline and writing about another very famous Tennessee location that I’ll tell you more about real soon. It’s another historical novel set at the turn of the century (1904), and is a story I’ve wanted to write for a long time. If you’re inclined to pray for us authors here on Inspired by Life . . . and Fiction, I would SO appreciate your prayers as I write this one. 🩷

THANK YOU for the kind reception you’ve given my latest novel A Million Little Choices (Nov 2023), my first dual timeline story set in Atlanta where I was born and raised. That book took me a long time to write (and rewrite), so I’m especially grateful for your encouraging reviews. So heartening. 🥰

In closing, here’s my current screensaver on my phone (soon to change to one of Leo and Ari). Just for kicks, tell me what’s on yours!

NOTE: The bruise on Leo’s head did NOT happen on my watch. Just sayin’!

Blessings on your Tuesday, friends,
Tammy

Have you seen THE CHOSEN Season 4 (episodes 1-3) in theaters yet? Joe and I went last week, and I’m still processing, my gratitude for God’s Word and His One and Only Son deepening more day by day.

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Tamera Alexander

Novelist at Novelist
Novelist, wife, mother… USA Today bestselling author Tamera Alexander has loved the lure and power of story for as long as she can remember. Now she enjoys creating stories set within the real history of the post-Civil War South and the rugged, panoramic vistas of America's West.
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Comments

  1. Loved all of this and can’t wait to meet your sweet little Ari. My grandma name is Mimi, which was rather rare when we lived in Kansas, but the South where we live now is FULL of Mimis! 🙂
    My phone’s screensaver is a pretty floral photo. Alas, I can’t fit all 13 of my grandkids in one vertical shot. 😉

    • LOL on the 13 kids, Deb. I would guess not. Unless it’s a collage of faces only. I love your name Mimi, which as you already know was my mom’s grandma name. Love it.

  6. Ari is so precious! Congrats on grandbaby #2. I don’t have any grandbabies yet so I’m not sure what I’ll choose but it won’t be Granny, I can tell you that! LOL!

  7. Congrats on the newest addition to the family, she is adorable!
    My screen saver is a particularly nice picture of my husband that I took in the gardens at the Biltmore Estates=)

    • Thanks, Patty, and wonderful on your visit to Biltmore with your hubby! Isn’t it gorgeous. I’ve only visited there once (and not long enough). Would love to visit again and wander and study the history for days.

  8. I love seeing your new granddaughter! She is a beauty! What a precious family. Grandchildren are a great gift. So happy for you all!

    • Thanks, Carrie. She’s a sweetie, and is already changing so much. Hugs to you, and blessings in your writing. Love the cover of your recent The Legacy of Longdale Manor. Beautifully done.

  9. She’s adorable! (And so is Leo!) Congratulations to you and your family, Tammy! So thrilled for you.

    (I’m excited join the Grandparent Club, myself, in late March/Early April!

    • YAY, LINDA! Come on in, babe, the water’s fine and so are the wrinkles. It’s all good. Congrats to you, too. You’re going to LOVE IT!!! Be sure and let me know what your grandma name is when the time comes. Hugs!

  10. Ari is adorable-as is her whole family. Congrats!

    My grandmother name is Marmee (as in Little Women). I love that my girls are old enough to say it now. It makes me happy everytime I hear it–both because they say it and because it is literature related! 🙂

  11. Congraduations on your granddaughter! She is adorable. All of the pictures are lovely. You are truly blessed.

    My TWO grandchildren (a granddaughter and grandson) call me grandma. However, a cute story about our grandson. When he was little (is now 14), we communicated long distance over SKYPE. Waving hello, our introduction was rushed together – “Say hello to grandmaandgranddaddy”. Which is the only way we can figure out how he called me grandma, but my husband grandmadaddy. He still used that name until about 5 years ago.

    Praying for the writing of your new book, which I know will be wonderful!

    • LOL, I LOVE that, Betty. So cute! Grandmadaddy. 🙂 Thanks for celebrating with us, and for those prayers too. SO APPRECIATED. This one’s proving to be a special challenge, which usually means God’s doing a work in my own heart first. So, I’m listening as I write. Hugs from Franklin…

  13. Congrats on Ari, she is precious and Leo is such a cutie! I’m sure you are having lots of fun!
    My grandkids call me Cece, a name given to me by my nieces and nephews because it was much easier to pronounce than my name. My iPhone wallpaper is a pic of my 5 grands (4 boys, one who is also named Leo, and 1 girl) with Mark and I.
    I’ll be praying for you as you continue your novel, I know it will be great!

    • Hey Celia! So good to “see” you, my friend. I love that we each have a Leo, and yay on that wallpaper pic of all 5 grands—and you and Mark to boot. Wish I could swing by and pick you up for one of our infamous Abilene, Texas garage sale-ing Saturday mornings, complete with kid’s meal from Arby’s. Such fond memories. God has been so gracious through the years, has he not? So many blessings and so much to be thankful for. Hugs from TN to TX!

  14. Congratulations to all of you! Grandchildren are definitely a blessing of the Lord!
    My oldest grandson calls me grandma and my youngest grandson calls me Mapa.😁

  16. Hey Gram Tam, I love the pictures of your grandkids. That is certainly a beautiful baby girl. Both are so precious. Blessings to you and yours.

  17. Oh, Tammy!! Ari is beautiful!! And Leo is absolutely precious!! What sweet blessings for your family. 🙂
    Yes, having grandbabies is the BEST!!
    My sweet grandgirls call me Pippi (no connection to Pippi Longstocking, LOL) 😉 and I love that name!
    In fact, the reason I’m so late commenting to your post today is because I spent the day with them (we live south of Atlanta, they live north of Atlanta…so with the infamous Atlanta traffic, it’s usually an all-day visit!)
    Prayers for this next story you’re writing (can’t wait!) and lots of happy days ahead enjoying those sweet babies.
    Hugs, Patti Jo 🙂

    • Thanks, sweet Patti Jo! Just hearing your grandma name Pippi makes me smile. And oh yes on that (horrid) ATL traffic, but so glad you got a day with your own precious grands. Hugs, friend.

  18. Congratulations on your new granddaughter. She is beautiful!
    I understand all about the red-headed-stay-under-the-umbrella-at-the-beach gene… I come from a family full of redheads & freckles!! I only tan in teeny, tiny spots. 😀 But I am kinda partial to red hair. We didn’t have any redheaded kiddos (our daughter is blonde; our son has light brown hair), but I’m hoping & praying for some redheaded grandbabies someday. Our son married a girl who has a lot of red hair in her family tree, so we shall see. Maybe our daughter will find a man with darker skin to broaden the spectrum a bit. 😉 haha
    Of course, I don’t have a Grandma name yet, but I’ve always thought I’d like to be called Grammy. Time will tell…

    • Thanks, Lori! Ha on the red-headed-stay-under-the-umbrella-at-the-beach gene we share. I’ve always looked at those tanned sun goddesses and thought, “Ah, what must that be like?” 🙂 But under the umbrella is quite the party as well. And far less risk of skin cancer so there’s that. 🙂 I pray you get to use your Grammy name one day (sooner rather than later). It’s the best! Hugs, friend.

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