Blood Isn't Everything.

My dad and step-mom Lynn have been married for 11 years plus a few weeks, and Lynn's parents live two houses away. 

It's somewhat documented on the blog here, just how much Lynn's parents, my grandparents mean to me.

I don't know when or how we became so close, it just happened over time, & I know some people don't understand that I can be so close to them when I'm not "technically" related to them, but that's okay. 

I remember being younger and we all went on a skiing trip and to visit my aunt and uncle in Colorado and my Grandma and I hung out in the chalet because I didn't want to go and she was watching my brother Ryan who was too young to be out on the slopes still, she asked me how I saw her or what I wanted to call her, she said I know I'm Mady's grandma, but you can call me Grandma or you can call me Carol, it's up to you.  It made me happy that I could call her Grandma if I wanted to, but wasn't pressured to. 

I have been blessed having them so close, because growing up both sets of my "real" grandparents lived at least two hours away, so we didn't see them more than once every couple of months. 

I think when we really started getting close was after my Grandpa was diagnosed with mouth cancer the fall of my freshman year.  I remember finding out like it was yesterday.  The night before, we had cleaned out our downstairs toy/collect all closet and my Grandma said she would take us out for ice cream for a reward.  Not just any ice cream,  but Coldstone, and it was going to be my first time going, so I was all in.

The next day after church, we all piled in our car and went and got ice cream and Grandma came along as well, I remember Mady wanted to ride home with my Grandma, but my Grandma told us we had better go with our mom.  So we said okay, and on the way to drop me off,  Lynn dropped it on us, she told us our Grandpa had mouth cancer.  I had just lost my real mom's dad unexpectedly less than a month before and now one of my other Grandpas had mouth cancer, why. God, why?

Ever since then, I have considered my Grandpa my hero and I believe he hung the moon!
My grandparents are everything I strive to be, they love God, each other, their kids, their grandkids and I just can't adequately put into words how much they mean to me and how thankful they have accepted me into their lives and hearts.

I honestly can't wait for them to come home from Arizona, I miss them like crazy!

Linking up with Shawn & IA for TTUT!