Dude...you are OOOOLD

Happy Happy birthday, best Grandy-pa in the world!

So…I’m sitting here in China, celebrating my grandy-pa’s birthday all by my lonesome. How does one celebrate an old-dude’s birthday?

Well…First, I looked through all the photos I have of our family on my computer. Then I creeped on facebook for more. Then I got all sad. Then I imagined everyone eating cake and ice cream and being together, and I was happy again. Even though I am not there, I know that my whole family is together, and they are celebrating the main man- Grandy.

To Grandy,

You’ve always been a constant in my life that I can absolutely, without a doubt, count on. Some kids know their grandparents are distant figures in their lives. They know them only as people who appear at special occasions and give strange out-dated gifts on birthdays. I’m one of those rare kids who is lucky enough to have a grandfather who has made an effort to get to know me.

I don’t think you know how important of a person you are in my life, and in the lives of everyone else in our family. Even though it seems I get to see you less and less as time passes (can we change this?), you are always on my mind. I’m not even exaggerating- I think about you, and wonder how you are doing, have you gone to Wal-mart yet, or are you waiting until later? How’s Buster holding up, and the like. You are in my prayers before I go to sleep, and part of the reason I can smile so easily each day.

I’ve never felt an unconditional love that can rival yours. Sure, my parents love me unconditionally, but they are also the ones whom punishments fall upon. But between a grandparent and a grandchild, there is a special, unbreakable bond. I know that when you call, no matter what I’ll be laughing at the end of the conversation, and all my worries will be put on pause for a bit. I am so lucky to have someone like you, who can see me for all my faults and mess ups, but look through those and focus on the strengths. It’s a love I can always count on, and a love I’ll never know anywhere else. You’ve made me a better person, you’ve made me stronger, and you’ve shown me that I can do practically anything I set my mind to. You are the invisible strength that gets me through hard times, and one of the first people I think about when something wonderful happens.

While it breaks my heart that I am not there in person for your birthday, I’m gonna love you twice as hard today so maybe you can feel it given the distance that separates us. And if you haven’t dug into the cake yet- eat an extra slice for me (and if you have, well…eat another one anyway).

I love you Grandy. Obviously you know that, but sometimes I wish you knew just how much. Unfortunately, when we most need them, words tend to fall short of their ability to express what we really want to say.

LOVE YOU!