Something old...

My grandfather took me everywhere when I was younger--I was pretty much attached to him. (side note...not my real grandfather--grandparents (mom's side) divorced and my real grandfather had very little to do with us...so, when I say my grandfather, I really mean my step-grandfather, but that title has absolutely no bearing to my relationship with him...as far as I'm concerned, he was my real grandfather)  Every year there was this math competition called Math Field Day.  The top students in the area would gather at a technical school and take a standardized math test.  Right before I would get out of his truck--LOVED that truck--he would stop me and take off his necklace and place it around my neck.  He would kiss my forehead, hug me and tell me that he's letting me wear it for good luck.  

The summer after I graduated high school, my grandparents moved.  They bought a home in Ohio--about six hours, give or take, from our home.  It was during this time that my grandfather started going down hill.  To sum it all up, dementia was setting it.  The family stepped in and he moved into an assisted living facility.  While there, they were encouraged not to have valuables as they were easily lost and/or stolen.  He ALWAYS wore that necklace.  I got up the nerve, knowing he could never say no to his baby girl, and asked him if I could have his necklace.  You could tell he really didn't want to give it up, but he did.  I got the necklace in the summer of '03, I believe (I think I had been in college a year, perhaps two) and there have only been a handful of times when I've taken it off--probably less than 10.

My grandfather had always said he wanted to live long enough to see me graduate.  I graduated from college with a Bachelor's in Athletic Training (sports medicine) on May 13th, 2006.  Almost all of my family came in for my graduation--all except my grandfather (he wasn't doing well at the time...dementia was overtaking him and he was slowly shutting down).  My family filmed my graduation and some of the celebration after and when they all returned home, the ones that lived closed to my grandfather took the video to him and he got to "watch" me graduate.  At this point in time he was pretty out of it, answering your questions sporadically or not at all.  They said that when they put the video on, his face lit up and he was all smiles.  He died 16 days later.

The story about the wedding ring is a little more complicated, lol.  

1. father's side of the family

2. Poppy married Annie

3. Poppy divorced Annie because Annie couldn't have children

--he wanted children, so, she told him she'd divorce him so he could fulfill that wish 

--much respect for her for doing that

4. Annie re-married and adopted a son 

--she also raised a nephew, John, as her own (one of the few that actually treated her like she deserved to be treated)

5. Poppy married my grandmother

6. grandmother died when I was 2

7. Poppy re-married Annie

--his children were grown

--Annie is my step-grandma, but like the first story, she's the only grandma (on that side of the family) that I knew

Aside from my father, Poppy's children were very selfish and took advantage of Poppy and Granny (Annie).  Always asking for money, always taking but never thinking of giving back. Granny's son works/worked for NASA and it seems as if he had forgotten where he was raised (if that makes sense).  Well, my dad died in 1989, leaving Poppy and Granny with children who apparently thought very little of them.  

Poppy died in '96 and that left Granny all alone. 

I always made it a point to go visit Granny.  I loved her and loved being around her.  I know she was lonely most of the time, so, that was another motivating factor to visit her--to keep her company and check on her.  Every time I would see her, she would give me money and we'd go through this little "act."  She'd give me the money, I wouldn't take it--after all, that's not why I went to visit her--and would say, "you don't need to give me money, Granny."  She always said, "I know I don't have to...I want to."  She would make me take the money.

Granny died in the fall of '07.  I attended the funeral and was saddened at the fact that so few of her family members showed up.  Anyway, after the funeral, everyone was outside, waiting on the processional to line up.  John's wife came up to me and took my hand.  She smiled at me and said, "she loved you very, very much.  You were the only one that ever came to visit her.  I want you to have this."  She had given me the wedding band that Poppy had given her. 

I placed the ring on the necklace and that's where it's been ever since.