A very proud surprise:)

I know, how can you be proud of a surprise??

Let me explain.

I keep regular emails with Erik's uncle, JP. He is the caretaker of Erik's Grandmother ( she will be 87 this year), and he has literally dedicated his life to her well being and happiness.

A little background into this part of Erik's family.

Erik used to spend almost entire summers with his Grandmaman. Even after his mom and dad divorced when he was little, she actually was written into the custody agreements to have visitation to him. Erik is her first born grandchild. He tells me amazing stories of things he used to do when he was little with his cousins growing up in Bathurst, and other small cities throughout New Brunswick.

But he never spoke much of Grandpapa. All I knew for the longest time, was that he died when Erik was only 2, and that he didn't remember much of anything of his Grandfather.

Well, over the last few months that Erik has been away, I have learned alot about his grandpapa, and I am so proud, and so amazed to be a part of this family.

Here are some of the amazing things that Erik and I have learned.

Grandpapa was a military man, as a matter of fact, he was a Lieutenant. This is why it was one of Erik's biggest dreams to be in the Military, was to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, even though we have only recently found out what HUGE footsteps they were.

Lt. Phillip Chiasson was a war hero. A decorated war hero.

He was wounded in action, but refused to give up his mission, and his only complaint was that he was angry that his wrist watch was blown off.

At the time he was on the front lines in the war, he was in the same platoon on the front lines as Erik's grandmothers brother., so his brother in law.

His brother in law was hit by a grenade, and it tore off the majority of the back of one of his legs. Grandpapa went into oncoming enemy fire, to drag his brother in law back to safety and to the aid of medics, and actually saved his life.

After I learned this, I understood why Erik's grandmother was so proud. Still to this day, after learning that, I am filled with pride, to be part of this family, their history, and the history that is yet to be made.

Now, after learning all of this, on Erik's behalf, I asked JP a little bit about his father ( Grandpapa), and what medals he had recieved for his heroism and bravery, and a little bit about his father's personailty, to pass along to Erik so that we together could learn what his grandfather was like.

Jp shared my request with Grandmaman, and he decided to do one better. He told us that we are the first people in the family that had wanted any knowledge of grandpapa's military life, and its importance to grandmaman and grandpapa. So, she had decided that she was going to give us the actual medals that he was decorated with, throughout his entire career.

We, were, and still are completely floored. This is something that is so huge for Erik, to be given something, one of the only things his grandmaman has left of her husband, to us. She wanted them to go to someone that would appreciate them when she was gone, and didn't want them to collect dust, and it took literally 28 years for that someone to come along, and it was Erik.

Erik didn't believe me when i told him this, so I had to actually forward the series of emails to him from JP. Erik cried. this is so important to him, and so very much appreciated by us that we can hardly find the words. We are anxiously awaiting our next visit to grandmaman once Erik returns home.

I can't wait to see these medals, and more importantly, I can't wait to hear the stories, and be part of the laughter and tears that will come with these stories. I can't wait to see Erik's face when he lays eyes on those medals for the first time, to see and feel the immense amount of pride that I know he has now, and will continue to have.

I am learning to appreciate all of the stories that are being passed along, and further more, I am looking forward to the stories that we will create ourselves, so that someday, our grandchildren might want to know something about their past.

There you have it....a very proud surprise:)