Four more days and Santa will be here. Boy, was that apparent today in Church. I thought the chapel was going to explode with kid energy. Which lead to a very lively discussion during Sunday School. Several of the older people thought that the children were out of control. I hope I never get so old that I don't remember what it was like waiting for Christmas day.
Rather then being upset at the parent bashing that took place. I'm choosing to feel sorry for those who have lost touch with their inner child and the wonderful childhood memories that surround Christmas. I'm also going to choose to be grateful for the older people who stood up for us parents.
While I listened to the ummm.. discussion, that was taking place in Sunday School, I started thinking of all the older people in my life.
When Brent and I married, almost fourteen years ago, we had by our side, our parents and our grandparents. On that day we each stood side by side our mothers, our fathers and between the two of us seven grandparents.
Today three of those grandparents have passed on. It is at the holidays that I'm reminded how blessed we are to have so many still with us. My children are growing up surrounded not only by parents and grandparents, but also, by great grandparents.
When the children were little they found their own way of describing who was who. H. called my parents "his grandma and his grandpa." Brent's parents were "your grandma and your grandpa."
S. called my grandma and grandpa, "the grandparents by the mountains," they live at the base of a Mountain. She called Brent's grandparents, "the grandma and grandpa at the temple," at the time they were working at the LDS temple in Los Angles and lived close to the temple.
A. referred to the great-grandparents as, "the old grandma and old grandpa." While his grandma and grandpa's were simply, "grandma and grandpa."
Today they are all old enough to understand who is who and where every one fits in the family.
I'm positive that they don't understand how unusual it is to have so many living great-grandparents. Like most people Brent and I have very few memories of our great-grandparents.
During the holidays our home is flooded with presents, letters and warm thoughts. Our parents and grandparents each do something different. Each does something that we all look forward too. Each remind us of their love for us.
In a world a little "crazy" at times we are thankful for the love and examples that surround us. We are thankful to an older generation that sees the great worth in our children. We are thankful for the support that they give us in raising our children. We are thankful that they love our children.
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I only have one grandma left, but she lives in another state and isn't all there mentally anymore. But I see the grandma I was closest to every day in Hollie's eyes. Hollie was named after her (in a roundabout way), and as much as Hollie looks like Paul, she has my grandma's eyes.