My parents, Margaret & Phil Walker, have been the most supportive, active, loving and patient grandparents I know. From the start of their lives as grandparents, there has been a lot of stress and drama. I went into premature labor 2-1/2 months early and my mother immediately jumped on a plane from Kansas to help me during my week-long hospital stay in San Diego. She knew that by helping me, she was helping her future grandchild. Ashton was born weighing only 3-1/2 pounds and had to have surgery immediately. Without my mother's support, my husband and I could not have held ourselves together. She was strong when we were in desperate need of support and calm. My father was in Kansas working and unable to visit for two more weeks but whenever I spoke to him on the phone, I could hear him crying and I knew that he was hurting for all of us. He couldn't wait to see his new grandchild and touch his hand. When he did come to visit San Diego, Ashton was very sick but grandpa was able to hold him and some of the best photos we have of Ashton are with his grandpa-- touching his finger, holding his head.
-Jennifer Ferguson