We started Grandparents with Open Arms is due to feeling guilt, anger and frustration of being a parent again. we knew we couldn't be the only person feeling this way. It's like we wanted the best for my grandkids, even when we didn't have custody, we always supported them like most grandparents do. 

It was like being a prisoner and trying to not make your child mad because you can lose your grandchild because we didn't have any rights. When we would try to intervene or the state gets involved you have to prove your a fit grandparent to raise them. You love you children but when you have a grandchild it's a different kind of love. 
We have been married for 35 years we have 6 adult children our youngest is 24 we had to make a decision to live our golden years together or  protect our innocent grandchildren and we choose our grandchildren and we have and never will have any regrets.
We received custody of our two grandsons in 2009 ages 5 and 6 due to me putting a protective order on their behalf against the kids mother my son was incarcerated but was out before the case was over due to him being gone a year his rights was going to be taken so they signed their rights to us. In 2019 we got custody of their two sister ages 1 and 3 if you knew these two little girls any grandparent would make the same decision, when it comes to your grandchildren the age is a number yes our bones creak but our hearts are full of strength and love. I want to help other grandparents be able to talk about this and hopefully it makes them feel like their not alone. Just a place to decompress without judgment. 

My oldest son Paul Phillip Trujillo the father of my grandchildren who's children we have full custody of, was so loved by us. A mother's love is unconditional and even though he had his demons to fight I always knew their was the little boy who I called Pauly Walley watching him with his addiction. The choices he made broke my heart many times, but we could never stop loving him. He was the most giving, loving person we knew even though he had his problems he would give you the shirt of his back he loved his children. He was fighting hard to become clean and when he finally said enough was enough He loved his wife but they knew they needed to get their lives together for their children unfortunately That morning he was on his way to work and he fell asleep at the wheel he ran into a tree and died instantly. his wish of getting his children back will never come true. He was my first born son, my baby.  We will honor him by giving his children the life he couldn't.