News
Gracyalnys give props to mom
By Ann Montgomery
Daily News staff writer
Mothers Day gathering gets a little crowded
CLINTON - Linda Gracyalny can tell you what she's doing most days, but ask how she'll be spending Mother's Day and she has to pause.
"We'll be in church in the morning, then probably go for lunch," Linda said, giving a quick look to her five family members gathered around her. "Oh, we'll probably go buy some flowers and tomato plants. I guess I'm not really sure what we have planned."
Those joining Linda on Thursday night were just a portion of her large family. In all, Linda and Randy Gracyalny are parents to six children. In recent years, the family has welcomed two daughters-in-law into the clan, as well as two grandchildren. A third little one is expected later this year.
The family, including Linda and Randy who have been married for 26 years, includes Brandon, 25, who lives in Stoughton with wife, Jill; John, 24, who lives in Clinton with wife, Michelle, and sons, Caleb and Connor; Teresa, 22, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; Joseph, 21, of Clinton; Adam, 21, a students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; and Sarah, 18, a senior at Clinton High School.
All those faces make for a crowded house not only on Mother's Day, but every day.
"I don't mind having them around," Linda said after quickly naming her children and where they currently live. "I hope some of them will always be around."
Proof of the busy household is noticeable by simply pulling into the family's Milwaukee Avenue driveway. Enough cars fill the driveway to make it look like a car lot, and inside the home a blackboard filled with names and telephone numbers (including cell phones) decorates one wall. Linda said the blackboard once served as a calendar, with each child listing their activities for the month.
"I told them that if their activity wasn't written down, I probably wouldn't be there," Linda said.
Today the board doubles as a quick phone directory and a place to leave each other messages.
Having a big family is not new to the Gracyalny family. Randy, who serves as music and liturgy director at Our Lady of the Assumption church in Beloit, comes from a family of nine children, while Linda grew up with three siblings. From the start, the couple knew they wanted a big family.
"Even before we got married we talked about having a large family. We talked about having five or six," Randy said.
The hardest part, according to Linda, was when the children were young. She had six babies in seven years, which means the group often turned heads as they made their way around Clinton and Beloit.
"We'd go somewhere and someone would ask 'are they all yours?'" Linda recalled.
It was a daily challenge to get the children all dressed and to the car. Then she had to get them all buckled in and to their destinations before having to unload the group.
Things got a little easier as the children grew. Over time they could dress themselves and tie their own shoes, as well as get themselves into the car and safely into their seats. Before long, the older children discovered it was easier on mom and dad if they helped out with their siblings.
"They kind of watched out for each other," Linda said.
While they watched out for each other, having a handful of siblings around wasn't always easy. The house with five bedrooms has always been crowded, and as the children aged they found the need for their own space. John joked the oldest, Brandon, created his own room in order to get away from his younger brothers
"He had to get away from the flying baseball cards," John said with a laugh.
The group agreed their mother has mellowed over the years. Like most older siblings, the group ribs Sarah, the youngest, about being spoiled and having her run of the house.
"She's mellowed ridiculously," John said, giving his mom a sly smile as his youngest sister sat sheepishly nearby.
Even though she's the youngest, Sarah said there are advantages to having a big family. Being in an active sports family, Sarah learned at an early age to either join in an activity or get left behind. Teresa, the third child, noted her brothers were not as easy on her.
"That's because they like me," Sarah jabbed at her with a smile.
Linda said despite the joking, her children get along well and still look out for each other. They've added two daughters-in-law in recent years, as well as two grandchildren with a third on the way.
Teresa, who balances her time between school in Whitewater and her family in Clinton, said her mother has done a good job of keeping the family together all these years.
"She's always been there for us. It doesn't matter when we need her, she's always there," she said.
Randy said his wife is not only a great mother, but a great wife. She said she's helped keep him calm during stressful times over the years, and always finds time for their children.
"She's involved in what they do and is interested in what they do. The kids are more important than any thing," Randy said of his wife.
Those activities range from being involved in activities at OLA to sports and drama performances at Clinton High School.
This year marks the end of a era at CHS as a Gracyalny child has attended the school each year since the mid-1990s. That will end next month when Sarah graduates from CHS.
But proud grandmother Linda is quick to point out a new generation of Gracyalnys will soon be starting school.
"Caleb starts school in the fall," she said.
CLINTON - Linda Gracyalny can tell you what she's doing most days, but ask how she'll be spending Mother's Day and she has to pause.
"We'll be in church in the morning, then probably go for lunch," Linda said, giving a quick look to her five family members gathered around her. "Oh, we'll probably go buy some flowers and tomato plants. I guess I'm not really sure what we have planned."
Those joining Linda on Thursday night were just a portion of her large family. In all, Linda and Randy Gracyalny are parents to six children. In recent years, the family has welcomed two daughters-in-law into the clan, as well as two grandchildren. A third little one is expected later this year.
The family, including Linda and Randy who have been married for 26 years, includes Brandon, 25, who lives in Stoughton with wife, Jill; John, 24, who lives in Clinton with wife, Michelle, and sons, Caleb and Connor; Teresa, 22, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; Joseph, 21, of Clinton; Adam, 21, a students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater; and Sarah, 18, a senior at Clinton High School.
All those faces make for a crowded house not only on Mother's Day, but every day.
"I don't mind having them around," Linda said after quickly naming her children and where they currently live. "I hope some of them will always be around."
Proof of the busy household is noticeable by simply pulling into the family's Milwaukee Avenue driveway. Enough cars fill the driveway to make it look like a car lot, and inside the home a blackboard filled with names and telephone numbers (including cell phones) decorates one wall. Linda said the blackboard once served as a calendar, with each child listing their activities for the month.
"I told them that if their activity wasn't written down, I probably wouldn't be there," Linda said.
Today the board doubles as a quick phone directory and a place to leave each other messages.
Having a big family is not new to the Gracyalny family. Randy, who serves as music and liturgy director at Our Lady of the Assumption church in Beloit, comes from a family of nine children, while Linda grew up with three siblings. From the start, the couple knew they wanted a big family.
"Even before we got married we talked about having a large family. We talked about having five or six," Randy said.
The hardest part, according to Linda, was when the children were young. She had six babies in seven years, which means the group often turned heads as they made their way around Clinton and Beloit.
"We'd go somewhere and someone would ask 'are they all yours?'" Linda recalled.
It was a daily challenge to get the children all dressed and to the car. Then she had to get them all buckled in and to their destinations before having to unload the group.
Things got a little easier as the children grew. Over time they could dress themselves and tie their own shoes, as well as get themselves into the car and safely into their seats. Before long, the older children discovered it was easier on mom and dad if they helped out with their siblings.
"They kind of watched out for each other," Linda said.
While they watched out for each other, having a handful of siblings around wasn't always easy. The house with five bedrooms has always been crowded, and as the children aged they found the need for their own space. John joked the oldest, Brandon, created his own room in order to get away from his younger brothers
"He had to get away from the flying baseball cards," John said with a laugh.
The group agreed their mother has mellowed over the years. Like most older siblings, the group ribs Sarah, the youngest, about being spoiled and having her run of the house.
"She's mellowed ridiculously," John said, giving his mom a sly smile as his youngest sister sat sheepishly nearby.
Even though she's the youngest, Sarah said there are advantages to having a big family. Being in an active sports family, Sarah learned at an early age to either join in an activity or get left behind. Teresa, the third child, noted her brothers were not as easy on her.
"That's because they like me," Sarah jabbed at her with a smile.
Linda said despite the joking, her children get along well and still look out for each other. They've added two daughters-in-law in recent years, as well as two grandchildren with a third on the way.
Teresa, who balances her time between school in Whitewater and her family in Clinton, said her mother has done a good job of keeping the family together all these years.
"She's always been there for us. It doesn't matter when we need her, she's always there," she said.
Randy said his wife is not only a great mother, but a great wife. She said she's helped keep him calm during stressful times over the years, and always finds time for their children.
"She's involved in what they do and is interested in what they do. The kids are more important than any thing," Randy said of his wife.
Those activities range from being involved in activities at OLA to sports and drama performances at Clinton High School.
This year marks the end of a era at CHS as a Gracyalny child has attended the school each year since the mid-1990s. That will end next month when Sarah graduates from CHS.
But proud grandmother Linda is quick to point out a new generation of Gracyalnys will soon be starting school.
"Caleb starts school in the fall," she said.
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