Aeron and Jake..Engaged

I've watched all of my life how the way you choose to live your life brings you joy or sorrow.  I chose a very long time ago to take part in my grandchildren's lives and it has brought tons of joy into it.  I know people who ignore their grandchildren for one reason or another and I feel very sad for them and what they're missing out on.

Aeron and Jake have been dating for a couple of years and I've come to know what a wonderful choice he is for my Aeron.  First I saw how Kyle and Tyson felt about him...they've become good friends.  Then I watched how Momma Bear Cindy came to love him and I knew he was the right one.  I also know my Aeron well enough to know she will never suffer a fool so I am comfortable with the man she's chosen to spend the rest of her life with.  Jake is smart, hard working, and comes from a close and loving family.  These are qualities that matter in a good relationship.

Jake called Cindy and said he was going to propose to Aeron on Friday night at the cottage where his family was vacationing.  He wanted Aeron's family there, too, so Cindy, Kim, Tyson, Kyle, Dennis C., Sarah, and I drove 4+ hours to be there.  This is the kind of thing we do in our family for the people we love.  No question!

Unfortunately we got lost for a while and arrived after the proposal but it was a fantastic time for meeting Jake's family (Cindy already had, of course).  Aeron was overwhelmed with happiness to see her own family support at this important moment in her life but she already knew how much we all loved her.  There were tons of tears, hugs, and laughter to celebrate our sweet girl's engagement and so very much appreciation for the choice she'd made.  Like all families, we've seen some of our loved ones make poor choices in mates over the years but this was a perfect one.

We stayed for just a couple of hours because we'd gotten up there late and everyone but me were also tired from working all day so Kim, Cindy, and I left and went to the bed and breakfast we were staying the night at.  Tyson, Kyle, Sara, and Dennis made the long drive back home because Kyle had to work Saturday morning.  

What mattered most of all was that, by being there, we showed Aeron how much she mattered to us.  All the family love Aeron has received all of her life has made her the confident woman she is today.  It's also made her a woman who knows how important a good family is in her life.

2017 has and will be a banner year for our family.  Nick and Bev will be married this coming Saturday, Nicole and Sam are marrying in November, Aeron and Jake are engaged, and I got a health reprieve from what I worried might be pancreatic cancer.  All of those blessings are momentous ones.

And, thinking about it, how much of this joy would have escaped me if I hadn't chosen to be part of my grandchildren's lives.  You make your choices and you reap what you sow.