"Thankful Challenge" - My Grandparents

11/4/13 - My Grandparents

I'm 24 years old and still have all four of my biological grandparents. Now to some people that may not be that big of a deal, but I can tell you it means a lot to me! You see, I have a lot of friends who only have maybe a grandma or both grandpas and would love to see their loved ones that aren't around anymore.  I feel blessed that I can just make the 3.5 hour drive and see both sets of grandparents (who only live minutes away from one another) and spend the day with them. 

My parents' parents have really had their worlds turned upside down in the last few years and I'm glad I'm at the age that I am, to really understand what is going on.  I can be there to help my parents on certain situations and they take my opinion into consideration sometimes.  Just within the last two years, we had to move my mom's father into a nursing home that specializes in Alzheimer's and watched as his memory slowly decreases.  He may not know who you are when you visit, but you can tell that he appreciates you being there.  My grandma (his wife) is in an apartment for independent elderly individuals.  She isn't happy to no longer be living on the farm, but it's for the best that she be in a place that's smaller and not so much to take care of.  Both of these things were hard for my mom to do and it's not something that anybody wants to do.  But I was there to help her get through it and was her listening ear when all she wanted to do was vent.

My dad's parents have always had health issues but you don't realize how bad they are when your a little kid.  My grandpa almost lost his foot due to diabetes and my grandmother's heart hasn't been in the best of shape for years.  Though with all those struggles that they face, you wouldn't be able to tell it when you sit and meet with them.  They always want to know what's going on with your life and don't pat an eye to tending their garden or teaching the lesson on church night.  They truly are strong through all the pain and I admire both of them for that.

With every visit, I have them tell me stories about their own life growing up or what my parents were like as kids.  Just the smile on their faces when they tell a story about "the good ol' days" seems to be enough to make my visit worth the drive.  I always tell them that I love them and give them an extra squeeze with my good-bye hug. 

Remember to tell the people that you love, just how much they mean to you because some day they might not be around to hear it. I know there will come a day that I won't have my grandparents in my life anymore and it's the memories that I make now with all four of them that I will take with me for the rest of my life!