We have adopted
Brady has suffered the loss of two great grandfathers in the last few years. Men that he was especially close to. It has been a hard adjustment for a young boy who is strangely drawn toward the elderly. He was by far the kid -at;east of the 5 Argyles- that seemed most comfortable mingling with the residents at the assisted living center that my grandmother lived at. He looked forward to it.
Many times when we are out and about he notices white haired seniors and just can't refrain from going up and striking up a conversation.
It is no surprise then, that he found a grandfather to adopt in our ward. He has the most awesome of names. HERC (short for Hercules) Rainey. Every Sunday, Brady saves a seat in the pew for Brother Rainey and his sweet wife (Janette). He has been doing this for almost a year. Brother Rainey texts us when he or Janette are sick or out of town because he knows there is a very disappointed six year old waiting for him when he is not there.
a few factoids:
We have had them over for Sunday dinner.
They have had us over for Family Home Evening.
Herc makes THE MOST AMAZING brownies. Seriously. Probably the best I have ever tasted.
Janette is a maniac on the Wii sports ski board. (I kid you not!)
Herc can out hula hoop all of the Argyles.
People comment to us how wonderful it is that we live in the same ward as our parents. Then I explain to them that the Raineys are our adopted grandparents.
This Christmas Brady asked if we could find a matching bow tie that he could give to Brother Rainey and then they could wear them and be matching. (Brady is REALLY into bow ties and wears them often to church).
Brother Rainey had a big smile on his face and suggested that every fast sunday they could wear their bow ties together.
This relationship obviously helps fill a void for this little boy. I think it fills one for the Raineys too. Their grandchildren are scattered all over the country and they don't get to see them as much as they like.
Ward families are a beautiful thing that way.
Comments
We never lived close to my grandparents growing up, so our family "adopted" a set of grandparents from our ward too. In a way, I think I was closer to Hazel and Buck than I was to my own grandparents. Even when we finally moved away, Hazel would still send each of us kids a new Christmas ornament every year...even when I was in college. The ornaments got tackier and tackier as she got older, but they will always have a special place on my Christmas tree. And Hazel and Buck will always have a very special place in my heart.
-Jackie