Grandpa Paul Cain and Grandma

We decided to head out and join some family for Christmas this year and it was such a great decision! On our way to Pennsylvania (and yes, Sterling sang that the entire drive) we stopped in Virginia to visit Grandma and Grandpa Cain--Sterling's maternal grandparents on his mother's side. He hasn't seen them since he was 6 or so, but he has memories of visiting their farm when his father was still alive. They are super cool! Grandpa Paul Cain is a patriarch, and has basically been taking care of grandma for the past 12 years as she has advanced Alzheimer's. She is still in their home and they have a live-in retired nurse living with them, her name is Ival. We know a LOT about her, haha, we kept saying "Ival-we want to talk to Grandpa!" haha. Apparently, grandma is a superstar and had a couple masters degrees and was pretty pro women's rights. Ival's son is taking care of their small farm now. But Sterling said it is just as he remembers it.

They had this painting hanging on their wall, it is Sterling's great-great grandmother and she had red hair! That is where Ruth gets it! (you have to have it from both sides)

 We had our camera stolen the night we left Miami, and I was SOOOO annoyed. I knew my sister would have her camera for Christmas--but I had wanted to take nice pictures of the grandparents SOOOO bad because it might be the only time I ever get pictures of them with my kids!!!! This is the third time we've had our vehicle broken into in Miami--and this was in a four hour time span in our GATED and GUARDED community and I only left it there because I wanted to make sure I didn't forget it when we got up at 4am to start traveling. I'm still so annoyed at myself. 

 It was a really great visit. Sterling really needs to sit down and write all the stories Grandpa Cain told him (I tried to listen but I was mostly watching kids) and we even snagged a Book of Remembrance from him to do some genealogy (both of them are converts) so I'm pretty excited to start that journey--haven't done much of that yet!