As a twenty year old female, I have a very blessed life. I have a wonderful family who has always given me everything I could need or want. I have an amazing extended family who always makes sure that my family is well taken care of. I have a wonderful fiance who takes care of me when I am not with my family. You could say that I have it all. I believe that I do as well, but while I was growing up I was missing one important thing that a lot of other people have. I was missing my Grandparents.

I heard about them all of the time. It seems to me that even though I never got to meet them, I know them so well. I remember many stories where my mom told me that she would wake up to the smell of homemade tortillas in the morning. I have also heard many stories where my Grandma would get together with her friends to make fresh tamales and talk about what was going on throughout the town. My grandpa used to always come home with something for my mom just to make her day. Every time I hear a new story about either one of my Grandparents, I get a huge smile on my face. I imagine them as the most kindhearted people in the world because I have never heard anything bad about them. Everyday I think about what my life would have been like if they were still alive. Would I still be the person I am today? Would I have met the same amazing people in my life and would I have the same relationships with my family that I do now?

Don't get me wrong, I love the way that I grew up and I am beyond thankful and happy to say that I have aunts and uncles who gladly took my grandparents place and did all of the typical "grandparent" things. For example, staying over at my Aunt Linda's house and eating all of the junk food that we wanted without telling mom what we were doing were some of the best times that I had (even though my mom always found out the next day.) I love being able to go to all of my aunt's and uncle's houses where they make sure we always have something to eat. (I still can't go over to my Uncle Johnny's house without getting some kind of food). Random trips to Mason to see my Uncle Joe were always filled with lots of love. Even the times we would just go over to my Aunt Virginia's, Uncle Gilbert's, or Uncle Popo's houses just to chat were some of the best days I had.

All of these things that my aunts and uncles provided for me are what I believe that grandparents usually do. So, I want to say thank you to each and every one of y'all for being the grandparents I never had. Thank you for loving my family unconditionally and for showing my siblings and I what it feels like to have someone always there for us (besides our parents.) And although we never had a chance to meet our grandparents, we have the seven best aunts and uncles in the world.

Much love,

Jasmine Marie