""Quads""

For the past 24 and a half years I have been very fortunate to say that I have both sets of grandparents and one great grandparent in my life. Yesterday though, I lost my first grandparent, my grandfather on my mom's side. I always felt bad when talking with friends about our families and seeing their faces when I told them that I had 5 grandparents still living. Many were "jealous" (not really jealous but always commented at how lucky I was). I know I was lucky, I was able to make some great memories with my grandparents and I would not change that for the world. It is very surreal to think that now I only have four but the past couple of days I have been hoping and praying that when I have children or my siblings have children they will be just as fortunate as I and my siblings and cousins are. My grandfather was a great man in his own way, he served in the Navy and worked for the local newspaper for years (probably the better half of my childhood). He also was a mechanic on the side and loved to help anyone and everyone with their car. I always remember going over to his house as a kid and he would be underneath the hood of someone's car tinkering away. He always played with us when we were over at his house and he always called me Mandy (which no one ever called me because according to my mom that was not my name). The past few years were rough with my grandfather, but we still spent a great amount of time with him and my grandmother cherishing every extra holiday we got with them. This coming Friday on 11/11/11, they would have been married 50 years. It is amazing to think about today's society and look back at my grandparents. Both sets have had their trials and tribulations, but they both have survived them (both sets of my grandparents saw 50 years of marriage to the same person). Who can say that now? I hope that when I find the one I marry, that I will be able to be married for 50 years and look at my kids and grand kids and say well done, just like I know my grandfather did to my grandmother. So in honor of my grandpa instead of saying "deuces," I say ""quads."" I love and will miss you!