For your love of my children, thank you. The joy in my child’s face when she sees you is priceless and reassures me what a family is.

For the countless hours of babysitting, thank you. I would not be here today if it wasn’t for you.

For your listening voice, the voice that is quiet when I need to speak and loud when I need praise or advice, thank you. I would not be as strong if it wasn’t for you.

Thank you for your energy, God knows I needed someone else to play hide-and-seek with my child for the 1,2345th time she wanted to play or read One Fish, Two Fish for the 9,876th time. Thank you for that moment’s peace.

For spoiling my child, so I don’t ruin her, but she still gets to have fun. It’s not cool for mommy to offer the second . . . third . . . fourth cupcake, but for Grandma, it’s totally cool.

On that note, thanks for always having lots of food. Mommy likes that, too.

For supporting me in disciplining my angels, even when you want to spoil them, thank you. You parented yours, and I know it’s no fun to have to discipline mine now, too. But I appreciate it so much.

For always bringing the family together, thank you. You’re our home base, and memories have been made because of you that will be with me and my children forever.

There’s a lot more. But I can basically sum it up with this: thank you for your heart.It doesn’t go unnoticed. You have always been there for me and my kids. Whenever I watch my girls smile and giggle as they show you their latest moves, tell you their latest story, play with the collection of toys you have in reserve just for them, dig through the junk food stash you’ve bought with solely them in mind, I catch myself smiling and thinking about how much of a blessing it is, just how amazing and valuable it is, to have someone like you in their lives. You’re awesome. Thank you.

P.S. You’re running low on ice cream . . .