Someone very dear to me said recently "Do whatever makes you happy." I know what would make me happy. Aside from spending the rest of my days and nights with my husband of nearly 30 years, I look forward to retirement in just a little over 3 years from now. In the retirement years, I hope to spend lots of days with my daughter, sons, their families and do the little things together that will make memories that will last well beyond my years. I want to make jelly with my daughter and grandkids. I want to spend lazy hours watching the kids play at the beach or lake while chatting with my children. I want to spend holidays with them. I want to be there to help paint a wall, pick up the grandkids after school when the schedule is hectic. Be available when there is sickness or injury. I want to make my golden years golden. Maybe I want a Waltons kind of life. I want to always be a mom and grandma to my kids and their kids. I want them to call me randomly and just chat for a minute to tell me about something that made their day or ask how to make some old recipe. This is what makes me happy. This is what golden is.
What Grandpas do. There is something wonderful about watching a grandpa with his grandkids. The way they connect is on a very different level than Grandmas and Grandkids. It's instructions. It's carefulness. It's one on one life. Watching Billy going over gun safety ~again with Bailey before she gets to shoot her Red Rider. That right there is precious! She gives him all of her attention, and it pays off big! When she gets to line up on her target and squeeze of a shot that strikes the bulls eye, she looks at Grandpa and sees how proud he is of her! This is Grandfathering at it's best! I can only imagine that they will have this same look on their faces when he teaches her to drive a car or talks to her about boys and dating and not to rush into that sort of thing. They have a great respect for each other. He loves introducing her to new things including foods from other countries. And she is always willing to try these new foods! I hope that one day she will learn to cook from Grandpa. He is a wonderful cook, and is the most patient person I've ever known. 
