Category Archives: Grandpa Diary

Letters to my little Kaylee…

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Grandpa Diary #103

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Dear Kaylee,

Well, mommy is off for summer now, so Friday was our last Grandpa Day for awhile. We will still do stuff together, but not our normal routine.

 

Our last zoo trip was memorable because you decided to face two of your fears head on! You pet a snake and a skink! A skink looks like a lizard with two heads. The zoo volunteers were giving these hands-on experiences and you decided to take advantage of this without Grandpa spurring you on.

 

Then, since this was a special day,  you had your face painted with a tiger motif. To top it all off, Grandpa got stung in the thumb but a bee…

 

What a day!

 

Love,

Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #101

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Dear Elise,

It was so much fun to be with you at a time I didn’t know you would be there. Uncle David and I went to see your Uncle Matt play lacrosse at his high school. Grandma was there with Aunt Kelly and Sam, Aunt Kim, and then, what a surprise, you and your sister with your mommy and daddy!

It was a real kick seeing you getting passed around like a little package to everyone who was there in the stands. Then, when it was my turn, I was really excited to hold you because I didn’t bring a jacket and you were my mini-warmer!

Love,

Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #98- Grandpa Blogger

my little hobbit

Dear Kaylee,

You and Grandpa went on our first hike in the woods. This is a creek bed where the Los Angeles River actually begins. I had so much fun teaching you about woods, paths, trails, and fields. This wooded area is right below high rocky hills and so we had the chance to talk about Jesus living in an area just like this in Nazareth. He would have hiked and played in the woods, too!

I knew if I gave you a walking stick you would pick it up instantly by watching Grandpa with his stick. Then a man came by with a hiking stick, too, and you said, “Him has a stick like me.”

You found many small pebbles you wanted to choose special for mommy, daddy, nana, grandma, and aunts and uncles. By the time you were done your little pockets were full and you had to put them in Grandpa’s pack!

I knew you would be interested in going on a hike, I just didn’t know how far to take you. There are some pretty step parts of the trail. Well, you did it. We hiked over three miles! Of course we do that at the zoo, as well, so I should’t be surprised.

I can’t wait to go again, my little hobbit!

Love,

Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #97- Grandpa Blogger

Kaylee and Elise Grandpa Blogger

 

Kaylee,

I know you are growing up quick, but I know something else. You want your sister to grow up quicker. You try to give her cups of tea, you dance around her when she is laying on the floor, and now with her new jumper, you are trying to get her to play with the toys surrounding her.

Kaylee, Elise will get there soon! You are going to have so much fun doing so many things with your sister, but in the meantime, you get to learn something Grandpa continues to learn:

Patience.

So, keep talking to Elise, read her a book, show her fun toys, let her hold your “lovey” once in a while, and most of all, keep hugging her and kissing her because she really loves that!

Love,

Grandpa

Grandpa Diary #96- Grandpa Blogger

Elise GrandpaBlogger

Dear Kaylee and Elise,

Nana and I get to take care of you on different days and we love it. You both bring so much joy in different ways.

Elise, this is the time where you are learning to smile. Just last week, you smiled at me for the first time when I walked up to you. I didn’t even have to get the ball rolling with my sing song Grandpa talk!

Kaylee and the Komono

Kaylee, the zoo is becoming a regular place for us. We have down our routine about seeing the animals and avoiding the “snakes, lizards, and dark places.” Imagine my surprise when you asked me to see the lizard recently. All on your own and you picked the Komodo Lizard of all things!

Can’t wait to think of what is going to happen next with you two…

Love,
Grandpa

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Grandpa Diary #95

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Dear Kaylee,

We like to talk to each other on the phone or on Facetime. One of the things you say frequently is, “Grandpa, where you at?”

Now I don’t know who taught you that phrase, but I always smile when you say it. Then I will often reply, “Kaylee, where you at?” And we go around for awhile.

Many times when we talk, it is during the day and I will answer, “I’m at the church.” That’s when I am on campus at LIFEhouse. I used to say, “At work,” but that is not a location. I can say, “Where your pictures are,” because Grandpa Wall is right in front of me in my study.

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It is a real treat when you come and visit me at the church on Wednesdays. That’s when you and baby sister come over sometimes with Nana to see Grandpa and his friends. You know the lay of the land, and soon you can show Elise where Grandpa keeps the toys and easel!

Love,

Grandpa

 

Grandpa Diary #94

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Dear Elise,

You are already two months old! Grandpa has been praying lots for you because you have had an infection. In fact, you had to stay in the hospital overnight. Your mommy stayed with you and your daddy took care of Kaylee. On New Year’s Eve we usually have a special dinner to celebrate the New Year. You were in Children’s Hospital on New Year’s Eve, and got to go home that night.

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Here’s a picture of Grandpa, Uncle David, Uncle Greg, and Mommy having our New Year’s Eve hamburgers in the hospital cafeteria. Mommy is eating an ice cream cone, too. Oh, well, next year we will have steak and crab legs, OK? No more hospitals, little girl…

 

Love,

Grandpa

Christmas Eve

Grandpa Diary #93

Christmas Eve

Dear Kaylee and Elise,

Jesus loves you and is your friend. You will know him more and more as you grow. Elise, Kaylee is ready to tell you about Jesus, just as your mommy and daddy and me and all the rest of those people who love you and love him.

Jesus makes sure we pass down his love through our actions, our words, and our traditions.

At Christmas we remember Jesus is the light of the world, and we worship him together at Candlelight Christmas Eve Communion. It is a beautiful time to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Jesus also likes to eat a lot and so we have a special Christmas Eve dinner with your families. You can eat many different foods at Christmas, so this year Grandpa had Lobster Ravioli!

Whatever the traditions, ways for many generations to celebrate Jesus is what it is all about. You will learn this more and more.

Love,

Grandpa

Finder

Grandpa Diary #92

huntington

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Dear Kaylee and Elise,

Tonight’s the big night! We will celebrate the birthday of Jesus! You were both born in nice warm hospitals. Kaylee, you were born in Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena and Elise you were born in Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital in Valencia.

 

 

 

 

There were no hospitals for Jesus. His mommy and daddy were visiting Bethlehem and they didn’t even have a hotel room. Jesus ended up being born in a cave out back with the animals. Instead of a clean crib to sleep in, Jesus slept in a feed box that was used to hold straw for the animals to eat. It is called a manger.

When we picture the manger we usually see a wooden manger, but when Nana and Grandpa visited Israel two years ago, we saw a real manger from the time of Jesus. It is actually made of stone!
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Tonight at Christmas Eve worship, Grandpa will tell you the story. You will be hearing about these events for a long time from all of us. It is the best thing to happen ever that God came to earth to be with us and teach us how to love God and love others. Christmas is for everyone, even if they don’t know it, yet.

Love,

Grandpa