Dear Grandpa,

I have thought a lot about what I want to say to you because there is so much. I have been so lucky to have been able to grow up with a grandfather like you. You have taught me so much and given me so many memories that I will remember forever.

Thank you for always hosting Christmas Eve. This may sound so cliche, but that is my favorite day of the year hands down. It is the one day that we all get to stop working or studying and just forget about everything just to come together to laugh and have a great time. My favorite part of that night is the fire you put on the TV. We all joke about it and you get a nice kick out of it and it is funny. Let's not forget the tradition of watching "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", that is awesome because we all sit around and can quote the whole movie. As kids, my sisters and I always looked forward to this day and as a 21-year-old I still do more and more every day!

Thank you for being present. Every big moment of my life you have been there. You were at my dance competitions, my high school graduation, you helped me numerous times when it came to moving around from apartment to apartment in college, and you check up on me every once in a while. Knowing that you are proud of me and enjoy helping me grow up is such a blessing. A lot of kids my age don't have that grandfather that is in their lives and I am so glad that I do.

Thank you for always making me laugh. Believe it or not, you are hilarious. Your little cheesy jokes are always the highlight of the conversation. There is never a dull moment with you and that is why I love how great our relationship is. You always know how to put a smile on my face when I am upset or when you know I am having a hard time. You make sure to check up on me too which is most important to me because it shows you actually care. So, keep those cheesy jokes coming because I love them!

Lastly, thank you for the memories. Thank you for Christmas Eve, thank you for road trips to my college to help me move a 50 pound desk up 4 flights of stairs, thank you for coming to my dance competitions in high school, thank you for letting me come over whenever I want to talk for 3 hours, and most importantly thank you for being there. I hope everyone understands how important it is to have a relationship with their grandparents and I am so glad we have that. I love everything about our relationship and I would not change anything for the world. You are the best and I hope to have you around forever!

Love Your Favorite Oldest Granddaughter,

Kayla