My Boys Friday: Doing something important with it

Years and years ago, when my great grandpa passed away, he left all his grandchildren $1000. Growing up in a family like mine where money isn't the most important thing in the world, I remember my mom sitting on her check for quite some time.

She didn't go out and blow it.

She didn't buy something stupid with it.

She didn't use it to pay off bills.

Instead, after a lot of thought, she decided that the best way to spend the money would be to purchase something that would always remind her of her grandpa, my great grandpa.

A grandfather clock.

The details are a bit blurry now, but my mom, sister, brother and I spent months and months (or maybe weeks and weeks) scouring the valley for THE clock. It couldn't be too fancy, or too new. It needed a story behind it, some character, and it needed to be grand.

The day we walked into the the little clock shop I remember we all knew, when we saw the clock, that it was THE clock. It fit all my mom's specifications and the little old grandpa who sold it to her told us some wonderful stories about it's history. It wasn't new, and had already had quite a life.

And if I remember right, it came in at exactly $1000.

It represented grandpa.

It still does.

That was the point, to have something that would help us remember.

*****
On Monday my dad and his siblings closed on my grandma's house. She passed away last November and as of Monday, her estate is now closed. I guess in a way, Grandma's memory is closed a bit too. I still think about her almost every day, know that she is watching us from heaven, and am pretty sure that before the Squirt was born, she gave him a stern talking to about being a good boy, because she had experienced first hand, every Sunday at dinner, what a stinker his brother could be.

That being said, yesterday my boys and I had the chance to go to lunch with my dad and my brother. I was just in it for the cherry coke and everyones crushed ice. Then my dad reached into his pocket and very nonchalantly handed me a piece of paper.

A check.

For a large sum of money.

From my grandma.

I told my dad to take it back, that I didn't need or want any money.

He said that my grandma would have wanted me to have it.

He's probably right, but I'll tell you internet, it made me nervous to say the least.

If there was ever any money that needed to be used wisely and thoughtfully, it's that money.

Immediately, I thought of the grandfather clock in my mom's family room. And wondered...

What can I do with this money to honor my grandma?

I don't need to use it for bills, or toys. I don't just want it to sit somewhere.

After talking to Ross, he gave me the best idea.

The money is going to my boys.

The great grandsons.

They each will get half into their savings accounts.

It may not be a clock, but it will be a legacy.

To be able to tell my boys when their older that part of their mission or college education will have been paid for by their great grandma.

Who loved them very, very much!