Family Finds Unexpected Item Grandfather Had Been Keeping for 57 Years

Kayla Stipsits found her grandfather’s log of of every date and memory he had with her grandmother

Kayla Stipsits and her family were cleaning out her grandparents’ house when they found something interesting.
Stipsits’ grandfather Jim kept a log of all the time he spent with his wife, Kay, detailing 57 years of recorded memory.
Stipsits shared her discovery on TikTok, where the video went viral, amassing 10.1 million views.
Kayla Stipsits and her family were cleaning out their grandparents’ house when they came across a log that their grandfather, Jim, kept of the time he spent with their grandmother, Kay.

Stipsits shares with PEOPLE exclusively about her grandparents’ relationship. She says she always knew the love between her grandparents was very special.

“My grandpa used to tell me a story when he first met my grandma; he got very lightheaded and nervous. They helped raise me, and their house was always the place for our traditions,” Stipsits shares. “We had Thanksgiving and Christmas there every year, including barbecues. The love just radiates off of them.”

Stipsits’ grandparents lived in their house for 30 years. When she was helping her family clean the house, she noticed something in her grandfather’s desk area.

“I was helping my grandma with the filing cabinets, and I saw something that said, ‘Kay memories and dates.’ I opened it, and it was a ton of records. Over the years, he would write down dates. We noticed a few dates every few weeks, but that’s normal. You don’t go on as many dates,” Stipsits recalls.

“It radiates the love he had for my grandma, and the fact that he had to probably write it out and then type it all up again is just adorable.”

88-Year-Old Couple Gets Married After Meeting at Senior Center: See the Sweet Wedding Photos (Exclusive)
Stipsits tells PEOPLE that it is just like her grandfather to have recorded everything, as he was meticulous and organized.

Recommended Article New York Zoo Shares Why Keepers Hide Their Faces and Wear a Hand Puppet to Feed New Vulture Chick

When the family went through this log, they learned things about Jim and Kay’s relationship that they previously didn’t know. Stipsits’ mom found out that Jim and Kay got engaged after six months of dating — something she had never known before.

The last date recorded was in 2010, when Stipsits’ grandpa was starting to slow down. When Stipsits showed the log to her family, many cried. They weren’t surprised this log existed, but they were touched that it did.

“My family was in awe of it. No one knew about it, and we were surprised, but we weren’t because my grandpa is so organized. We were just in shock that he even wrote that stuff down. I would have asked him questions, but he unfortunately has dementia, so we also were wondering if he wrote it down because of dementia running in that side of the family.”

“When I was going through it, I recognized names. My uncles’ names are in there. Some of their best friends for 60 years were there, [who] helped raise me, too. It’s [set] in St Louis, Missouri, and I grew up here, so I was able to recognize some of the spots,” Stipsits shares.

The log also mentions a popcorn that Stipsits and her mom still make to this day, and the family barbecue pit that’s still in use. Even Kay’s signature pork chops are mentioned by name — a staple Stipsits recalls her grandmother making for her. The log portrays a full family life, filled with good food, barbecue and dates between Jim and Kay.

“One of the logs said ‘made popcorn and did laundry,’ so it’s just so precious. Because if you’re really in love with each other, you don’t have to do a lot.”

• Travis Kelce Shows Off His Moves and Lip-Syncing Skills as Justin Timberlake Becomes His ‘Backup Dancer’ on Golf Course

• Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Celebrate Their 37th Wedding Anniversary with Sweet Swimming Selfie: ‘Love You Mrs’

• 7 Powerful Blood-Thinning Foods You Should Know About

• Shingles: Symptoms, Complications and Prevention