My parents moved here to Green Bay before I was born, so when I started growing up I did not have my actual grandparents there. Thankfully, my mother met a nice lady at a dinner who needed help with her Spanish. After the continuous meetings, they had created a friendship. Sometime later, I was born.

When I was only a month old, I met my foster grandmother and grandfather. They were there every step of the way from then on. My grandmother would always spoil me with clothes and all different kinds of presents and used to play “This Little Piggy” with me all the time when I was little. 

My grandparents had a Pomeranian dog that was named Simba. I loved Simba and would always play with him, even though I was, and still am, allergic. My grandpa’s favorite picture is me in the kitty pool yelling at Simba to get away. 

There were summers where my grandma from Mexico would come and visit. When I lived in the apartments, my grandmother would sleep in the living room, and since I did not want her feeling alone at night, I would sleep next to her. We were always the first ones to be up, so she would make me breakfast and put on a movie or let me watch television, but we would always do it together. 

My grandfather from Mexico did not start visiting until I was eleven. I was going to be receiving my first communion that summer, so both my grandparents wanted to be present. I was thankful and excited to be able to meet my grandfather for the first time. It was not awkward or nerve wracking; on the contrary, it was a nice encounter. 

Since my biological grandparents are only able to come during the summer, my foster grandparents have been coming to Grandparents Day since freshman year. Even though I may call them my foster grandparents, to me they are my real grandma and grandpa. They have been there for me through thick and thin. They are a big part of my life, and have helped raise me to be the woman I am today. I have to thank both my grandparents for being there and taking care of me when I needed it the most. 

Both my grandparents have helped my family that lives here in Green Bay in a plethora of ways, especially my foster grandparents. Thank you, Grandma, for teaching me the value of being a woman and being a daughter of God. Thank you, Grandpa, for protecting me and filling the absence I felt of having a grandfather. 

I love each and every one of my grandparents, and I feel as though it would not be the same without both of them in my life. I also thank God for being so nice in giving me the blessing of having two beautiful people as my foster grandparents.

I am excited for the upcoming event of Grandparents Day, and I feel as though it is important to say thank you to those who have been with you throughout your life and have given you wisdom throughout the years. I am happy to spend mass with my loved ones and have that opportunity to feel closer to them as a family, and as a granddaughter.