We received the call around 1:00 in the afternoon from our son with the comment, “well, you have a grandson.” While we knew that our daughter-in-law was having a baby boy, the news that we could now share in his life was truly overwhelming. Following the call, we headed to the hospital to meet him for the first time, and our anticipation level was truly off the charts. When my son placed him in my arms for the first time, I had tears in my eyes, and he asked, “Why are you crying dad?” I answered him by saying, someday when this little man is grown and he places his newborn son in your arms, you will have tears in your eyes, and you will have your answer.
It will be sixteen years on March 1, that we welcomed our grandson into our lives, and it will be thirteen years on April 7 that we our granddaughter became part of our world. Our grandson will be taking his driving test that day, and our granddaughter will enter the crazy world of a teenager a month later. Despite how much they have grown and changed, we still find time to be with them, and we never say goodbye without getting a big hug from each of them. In many respects, they have a stronger hold on my heart today than at their birth. During my day, I always find thoughts of them creeping into my mind, asking how they are doing academically, with their sporting teams and just whether or not they are happy and healthy. I worry about the world they will encounter, and I think to myself that “I wouldn’t change my grandchildren for the world. But I wish I could change the world for my grandchildren.”
I often tell my wife that life is all about creating great memories, and the two of us seek opportunities to participate in their lives through family events or simply by attending the critical events in their lives. I would like them to know who their great grandparents were, and hear stories about our family so that they will have some sense of our traditions and our values. I don’t want to wait until I am in my rocking chair to share my life story with them: I want them to experience by witnessing who I am and how I live my life. Just as I have great memories of my childhood and of my grandparents, I want my grandchildren to share stories of their childhood, their growing up experiences with their children, and hopefully, some of those stories will be filled with memories of grandma and papa.
Happy Birthday Jake and Ella, may you always know the love we have for both of you now, and throughout the road ahead.