Legacy

I tried my hand at constructing Ryan's family tree this week...you'll never guess the number of family members I landed on in the process! And (as is further talked about in today's post) we said goodbye to Ryan's grandpa this week. At the end of the podcast, Ryan offers a sweet tribute to this man who left a legacy for his family.

Listen here.

I am not entirely sure how to write this post. It may be messy in all the technical writing sorts of ways, so if that ends up being the case, I'll apologize up front.

When I married Ryan, I received a bonus gift of grandparents. All my grandparents died when I was in junior high and high school, so to receive a second chance of being a granddaughter has been a sweet thing for me.

I actually knew one of Ryan's grandfathers from the time I was a child (he and my parents were friends), but I met his other Grandpa around the time I married into the family. Fun fact: these grandparents and my parents got married the same year, which means they both celebrated their 60th anniversaries almost four years ago. At his grandparents' open house, we had this picture taken with them, and it is the only photo we have of the four of us.

In the last five years, Grandpa's health had steadily declined, and he wasn't able to get out and leave home very often.

Because he was declining, I never really got to know his true personality (which Ryan tells about in today's podcast) but now and then I'd catch a glimpse of it. Case in point: A few Christmases ago when he surprised us all by joining in the photo booth fun.

A year ago at Christmas, we were certain Grandpa was in his last days, and I even wrote all about that messy Christmas where we tried to weave celebration and grief into one evening. That was the Christmas where I witnessed this beautiful moment of a family praying for the patriarch:

God had plans for Grandpa's life that none of us knew, and less than a month ago, we had one last Christmas with him. He was confined to a hospital bed, and I wasn't sure he knew us all, but he was there and even threw in a little joke at one point when no one expected it.

I snapped this picture from my phone in a quick, unscripted moment when I caught Grandma talking to him. It's not even close to a perfect picture on any technical level, but it captures a moment I won't forget.

The phone call came about a week and a half later. We expected it, yes, but we had also expected it for so long without it actually coming that it surprised us.

I hadn't mentioned it in any kind of detail here on the blog partly because I wasn't sure what to say. Honoring a person's life and legacy is a sacred trust, and I was suddenly aware that I was a step-granddaughter-in-law, and I wasn't sure it was my place to say much. I'm new enough to the family that I don't have many memories and stories of my own to offer. And grief is a personal thing. I didn't want to offer words that would lead anyone to believe I had a special seat that really didn't belong to me. Those stories and memories are reserved for those who have been part of this legacy much longer than I.

Having said that, this is Ryan's grandpa. The whole step thing is just a formality. If you listen to his podcast tribute, you'll soon know they were real family. And for that reason, I wanted to honor him today on the blog. Grandpa loved the Lord and his family - however those family members came to belong to him - and this week they honor his life with their words and presence. I may be sitting quietly in the group out of respect for my place compared to theirs, but I am thankful to have a place in the group.

I am grateful for the impact he had on Ryan, and I am thankful for the legacy he left.