Some of Our Grandchildren Are Grown!

Once upon a time our grandchildren were all children and some of them were not born yet. Maybe it took us by surprise when all of a sudden they began to graduate from high school, go to college, travel across the world, become engaged, get married, and now we have a great grandson. 

We remember when we experienced those days when the time to leave home drew closer and closer. On the one hand, we were excited and on the other, we were terrified. We wondered if we could really make enough money to pay rent, keep a car running, buy groceries, heat our apartment, and all of the other things that independent living expects of us. 

Just because you are going "on your own" doesn't mean that we no longer have an interest in how you are doing. It is our most certain prayer that you will just be the people that GOD created you to be. You were made in His image and your life really belongs to Him. He placed you in the home where He wanted you to grow up. He gave you the parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that He wanted you to have. And He put love in all of our hearts for you. 

As you make those changes in your life, there is one thing that is more important than everything else put together. Make very sure that you are in partnership with Jesus. The greatest indicator of success is to have a life of love for the Lord, serving Him, loving others, and using the "Owner's Manual" -- the instructions for life that were written for you -- the Bible itself. 

Grampie says once in awhile, "I wish I could sit down and talk with my Dad one more time." He says that because not only does he miss his dad, but he learned to respect his father's and mother's opinions. That is a very good quality, because whether you know it yet or not there is nobody in all the world who wants the best for you any more than your Dad and Mom. Ask them for their advice, ask them to pray with you. 

Grampie and I will pray for you as long as we live, too. We love you more than you can know and we always will. We thank God for you and ask Him to draw you to Himself. 

There is a little song, "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." Well, in YOU we have lots of "sunshines". We love to spend time with you. We love to talk with you. And the older we get, the more important you are to us. YOU are counted among our dearest treasures. 

In the top picture: Kate, Alicia (barely visible), Kelsey, Heather, Heidi, and Kristen
In the second picture: Emily and Erika decorating a cake
In the third picture: Timothy and Kyle by our little brookside in Marshfield
In the final picture: Joshua and David at a school concert in Machias.