Grandparents...

Grandparents are a blessing. I feel so lucky to have been given my Grandparents. Not everyone is as lucky as me. Some of my oldest memories are of Grandma and Grandpa's house. I remember sitting on my Grandpa's lap and singing that song. I remember baking cookies with Grandma, and that always infuriating Rudolph cookie. He always ended up without any legs! I remember feeling like their home was my home. I remember the can with change in it, and walking to the gas station for candy and ice cream. I remember "hooked on phonics" on Grandpa's lap. I remember my Grandpa's workshop and that elevator he built. I remember thinking he was an inventor. All the other kids were jealous. My Grandpa was an inventor. I respected him so much. I would sneak downstairs into his bookshelves and read his textbooks on electronics, long before I could possibly understand what they said (yes I was an interesting child). I remember that 4-H project on circuits Grandpa helped me build (blue ribbon obviously!). As I got older my relationship with my Grandparents grew. I began to come to them for advice and support. I still do in fact. I was so lucky to have them so close. I was lucky enough to get to live with them for a short time. What I wouldn't do to have those few months back.

Two summers ago my family and I lost a big piece of our hearts. My intelligent, resilient, proud, and stubborn Grandpa lost his long fight with Alzheimer's disease. It had been years in the making, but we still all assumed that we would have longer with him. If anyone could fight it, it was David Molstad. He was the strong-willed Norwegian with a mind like a steel trap. I never imagined that he wouldn't be there with me on my wedding day. That he wouldn't be here to be the inspiration to my first baby boy that he was to me. In the end my Grandpa slowly lost most of what he spent his whole life learning, he planted a seed in me a long time ago, that grew into a desire to learn and succeed. By the time I graduated from college it was difficult for my Grandpa to even leave the comfort of his own home, but the happiest moment of my life thus far was when he made the trip to watch me, the first grandchild to graduate from college, walk across the stage and get my diploma. It was a little over a month after my graduation ceremony that my Grandpa passed away, and I have lived every moment since hoping to make him proud.

Now with our first baby on the way. I am painfully reminded of another milestone that my Grandpa David wont get to share with our family. I miss him every day. I miss his phone calls and incessant reminders to change my oil. I miss how much he cared about me. How worried he was when I lived in Milwaukee. To a man from Blair, WI, Milwaukee is quite the dangerous place you know! I miss his advice. I miss his level head and his kind heart. I miss those mornings when we would watch the news and eat bran flakes. I miss his presence at holiday gatherings. I wish so badly that he could proudly hold his great-grandson in his arms. I wish he could know how without even being here he will shape the life of his great-grandson simply through the things he taught me. He taught me about heard work and dedication. He taught me about the importance of family. He helped make me into the person that I am today. I hope that Grandpa is smiling down from heaven so very proud of me and the family that we are building. He always loved and respected my husband Corey. He saw in him what I saw; a loving and caring, hardworking family man, who will be there to take care of his granddaughter when he is gone. I just hope and pray that our little boy was sent here to us with a little part of Grandpa David in his heart.

A recent letter written to Corey from Corey's dad reminded me that although our baby boy is missing someone important in his life, he still has some amazing grandparents waiting for him here (even a GREAT-grandma! Who is great in more than just the title and two other great-grandparents with so much love in their hearts for him already). My greatest wish for my son is that he has the opportunity to have the same experience that I did with my grandparents. I want him to know how important family is, and how much they love him. I want him to look forward to weekends with Grandma and Grandpa. I want them to have the relationship I had with my amazing and loving grandparents. I want them to look back and have fond memories like I had, like hooked on phonics on Grandpa's lap and Grandma's cooking. I want to build continuing traditions that they look forward to year after year, like making Lefse with Grandma. I want so much for him to know is Great-Grandpa David, but more than that I want him to have his OWN Grandpa David to look up to, in his own way. I know his path will be different than mine, my hope is that is not just as good, that it is better. I know his beautiful and amazing family will make sure of that. I am so blessed with the family that I have, both new and old. Our little boy couldn't possibly ask for better.

Proverbs 17:6 Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children

is their fathers.