Grandparents

My Grandma Book broke her hip in two places a few days ago, and is in the hospital recovering in Florida. Please keep her in your thoughts.

I know it's life, but it's still sad to see those we love being hurt, in pain and getting older.

Steve and I are extremely fortunate to have three living grandparents who have all been able to know their great grandsons. My Grandma Book is 88, my Grandpa Book is 91 and Steve's Grandpa Bartlett is 92 (they may even be a year older than I'm writing). Amazingly, they all live at home, and my grandparents still winter in Florida.

But we also lost our other three grandparents way too early.

I lost my Grandpa Bird when I was six in June of 1981 (after 1st grade) from cancer.

I lost my Grandma Bird on March 7, 1995 from the devastating affects of Parkinson's Disease right before my 21st birthday and Spring Break in Cancun (I'll never forget going to her funeral in Shenandoah (SW Iowa) and having to drive/ride all the way to Minneapolis that afternoon/night afterwards to catch my flight).

Steve's Grandpa Seiler was gone before he was born, and his Grandma Seiler passed away when he was very young so he didn't get the chance to know them.

Steve's Grandma Bartlett sadly passed away when Steve was 22/23 years old after much time on dialysis.

(My apologies to our parents if I've gotten some of the timing wrong.)

It's saddening and maddening that they got sick so young and missed out on retirement, being snowbirds and being alive when their grandchildren got married and started having children. But, again, I know that's life and that's why each person has the responsibility to make the most of each day.

And then there is the flip side of the life cycle. We will have a new family member join the world sometime in the next three-days! And we have four other little boys in our family who will luckily be able to say they knew some of their great-grandparents.