We are blessed ...

We are blessed to have two of the strongest people I know in our lives.  We are blessed to have them in our family.  We are blessed with two of the most committed prayer warriors there ever was!  We are blessed to have these two very wise people around to help guide us and give us Godly advice.  We are blessed with these two people who love playing cards more than anyone I have ever known.  We are blessed to have these two people who will leave such a legacy, a legacy of loving the Lord with all their hearts and offering all they have to Him.  We are blessed ...

Growing up, I knew my grandparents... I mean, I really knew my Dad's parents.  They lived on Hilton Head when I was little and I remember going over to their house.  Then they left Hilton Head and moved to central Florida.  I remember all of the times they would drive up to visit and go to the many, many sporting events just to show their support.  I remember getting out of school early for Thanksgiving break and driving down to Florida for the holiday.  We loved going down to their house to ride bikes, skate and play on Grandma's baby grand piano.  They were there for wedding showers, wedding ceremonies & receptions, baby showers and then all the visits up to Hilton Head to meet their great-grandbabies. 

Now, they drive up almost every time we go to Hilton Head just to spend some time with us and more importantly to spend time with their great-grandchildren.  If you were to have asked them 20 years ago if they thought they'd be around to meet their first great-grandchild I think the answer would have probably been that they hoped the Lord would be that good to them.  Well, they not only have been around to meet their first great-grandchild, they have been around to meet all nine great-grandchildren.  Not only have they been around to meet them, the Lord has given them such amazing health to be involved in their lives.  Thankfully, they aren't limited to simply watching their great-grandchildren play but they are able to hold them, pick them up (much to our dislike as most of them are way too heavy for them to be lifting), and they are also able to get on the floor and play with them.  When they are little, they live to just sit and hold them.  GG sings to them as she loves on them, talks to them and takes it all in, every smile, coo and snuggle.

This last time together wasn't any different.  The big boys loved climbing up on GG's lap to read books, they loved goofing off with Goomba and GG gave Luke so much attention.  If she wasn't holding him, she was on the floor playing with him and talking to him.  She jumped at every opportunity to feed him (bottles or solids) and Luke loved every second.

Before getting on the trolley while down in Hilton Head, GG & Goomba enjoyed some good time with their youngest great-grandchild.  While the big kids enjoyed a "nature walk" with Uncle Jason & Aunt Becky, Goomba definitely got in a few good snuggles.

 Luke enjoyed some quiet time with his great-grandparents.  He talked to them and filled them in on life and enjoyed getting lots of attention without the big kids around!!

 Luke loved every second and thought it was so much fun to take Goomba's hat off and try to get his glasses.  Goomba started off wearing both his hat and his glasses and by the time the trolley arrived he had taken off his glasses and his hat!

There isn't much that makes me happier then to hear the big boys talk about their GG and Goomba.  It makes me so happy to see their excitement when they know that they are going to be at Nana & Pop-Pop's house.  It makes me so happy to see them go up to them just to give them a hug, tell them that they love them and snuggle with them for no reason other than to just get some loves.  I hope my boys will never forget the great-grandparents the Lord has blessed them with... the ones they never were able to meet, the ones they met but went to Heaven to be with Jesus when they were so small and the ones that have been able to spend so many fun times with them!

I know our time with them is limited so we take advantage of every opportunity we have together.  It makes me sad to think of them not being around because they have always been around for me and now for my family but I get a feeling of indescribable joy when I think about the forever we'll spend together in Heaven and for that, I'm so beyond grateful.  And until the Lord calls them home, we are blessed ... blessed with so much time to spend with these two amazing people and blessed that the Lord has kept them this healthy for so long so that these kids can get to know them well enough to remember them all their lives!!