Who are the Grands?

The Grands are the two sweetest little people you could ever meet. They have been married 74 years and they still call each other "Love." Every nurse at their assisted living home, Bickford House, is completely smitten with them.

They are 90 and 93, and they live each day like there is no tomorrow. Because there may not be.

Their minds are not what they used to be and their bodies are breaking down bit by bit, but inside those old minds and bodies they are the same independent-minded young people that forged their own way in this world and made a good life for themselves.

They are two real people who have experienced love, romance, fear, war, heartbreak, loss, grief, tragedy, joy, suffering, anxiety, depression, and peace. They have lived all that life has to offer, and they've done it together.

They continue to smile, they enjoy each day, they count their blessings, and they hope that the sun will shine on them tomorrow.

They love God and they have lived for Him since the first day they accepted Jesus as their Savior. They can each tell you their story.

They are at times frustrating, stubborn, demanding, intractable, and bossy.

They have loved me unconditionally from the day I was born. In my younger days, they are the ones I called whenever I was in trouble or needed help. They were the ones to wipe my tears when I stubbed my toes. They introduced me to watermelon, bike riding, and Dairy Queen.

Whenever I was naughty, Grandma told me I was being a stinkpot and she was going to trade me in for a motor scooter. But she never did.

When I was five years old, Grandpa taught me inappropriate songs like "There's a place in France where the naked ladies dance." Grandma's response was always the same: "Wallace!" And he'd just laugh.

These two little old people are a central part of my world, and I know that our days are few. But I still can't imagine my life without them.