Secret(ish) Santa - GrandBlessings

When Mountain Mark and the Jersey Mama first got married, I was the only grandchild to Grandma and Grandpa K.  And oh, how they loved me and loved to spoil me  and oh how they made me feel so special to them even though I was "just a step-grandkid".  One year, just at the start of December an advent calendar arrived.  The first year was the standard cardboard one where you had to look for all the numbers and then there was a special surprise behind each one. The one the following year was cloth, I believe, and it had little trinkets (most delicately wrapped) in each little day marker.  I thought that was the coolest thing EVAH.  I had never heard of doing anything like that.  My mama, God bless her, loves Christmas but decorating is decidedly not her strong suit, so we didn't really do anything like that (although every year we hung mistletoe and Santa Christmas lights on the mantle, my family rocks out with their quirk out).

So this year, a package arrived especially early for Christmas for Stomp and Joshie Mark.  When I opened it up and saw those numbers on that calendar I got so excited for them.  And I was so touched that Grandma K, with all she has going on right now, took the time to carry on the tradition from Mark's daughter to his two grandsons (one of whom carries forth his name).  I didn't know a way to thank her properly or to tell her how much it meant to me, except to write it down here.  It can be so hard being so far away from my parents and my grandparents.  And I know they wish they were watching Nathan and Joshua Mark grow up.  But these little things they do a half dozen times a year, helps draw them in and bring them closer.  I know I can feel them close to my heart every time I see their name on a card or an envelope.  I know how much it meant to them that I named Joshua after my dad, Mark.  So I guess what I'm trying to say in all this is THANK YOU, Grandma and Grandpa K.  Thank you for carrying on a tradition, for always loving me and my boys, for never making me feel like an outcast or less of a grandchild and for always bringing humor and love into our lives.  (PSST: Grandpa, thanks for that chocolate ice cream cone in the car when I was visiting in Ohio, too. And for hosing me off so Grandma didn't see how messy I got!) You guys are not just Great Grandparents and Grandparents, you are truly GrandBlessings.

Much love from Eri, Nathan and Joshua Mark.