Grandpa.....

BJ has a grandpa and he is mine too. I am so lucky to have him.....we are so lucky to have along with the rest of our family.

He is a man with much wisdom, strength, confidence, and most of all love. You don't get to greet Grandpa without a hug and you don't usually leave him without one either. He is everyone of his grandkids biggest fans and this includes me and anyone else who is lucky enough to be married in.

We have a history you know, he is the one behind Brian and I dating again and the one who told us we might as well just get married its inevitable. He tells me all the time how lucky BJ is to have me and then finishes with and you are awful lucky to have BJ as well. I know this, beyond reason. I also know that with BJ came a whole slew of family, family that sticks together through the good and bad, family that is always there when you need them, I can name a number of occasions when we felt so alone and had a knock on the door or a kind word from an aunt, uncle or grandpa himself.

Now next to Grandpa you can almost be guaranteed to see Grandma and behind them and in front of them is a legacy....one that can be seen, one that can be attested to, one to be proud of and thankful to God for. No we are not perfect, and I am pretty sure none of us would claim to be but we have one thing in common and one thing you will hear Grandpa and Grandma claim for each of us and that is a love for Jesus our Saviour and God our Father in Heaven.

I got to watch Grandpa be a part of something tonight along with much of his family...the musical review in celebration of Lynden Christians 100th year celebration. You see it is pretty much tradition to be involved in the musical program at LC if you have VanderPol in your blood. And it is pretty much tradition to sing at every large family gathering especially Christmas if you are part of the VanderPol Family. So to see so many members of the family on the stage with Grandpa was not a huge surprise. What a gift to be able to watch him do something he loves surrounded by the people he loves. What a gift to see his children look at him with love and admiration and I am sure many memories in their eyes. It left tears in mine. I am glad I got to see it, I am glad my children got to see it. I am glad my husband was able to be a part of it alongside one of the people he loves and looks up to the most...his Grandpa.

I could go on and on...but mostly I just want to say thank you Grandpa for being you and caring on so many traditions that will be carried on for many years to come. We blessed far beyond these words!