Wednesday morning I received the call I knew was coming. My grandfather had died. It was so sad to hear my mom tell me those words. It was sad knowing my only living grandparent was no longer here. It was sad to know that my mom had lost her dad. It was sad to know that Diana would never meet her great grandfather. I cried off and on as I drove to be with my mom and sister.
All day Wednesday and Thursday we prepared. We made memorial arrangements. We looked through pictures. We shopped for things and ran errands. It was the first time in many years I actually spent the night at my mom's house. I needed to be there for her.
Friday we had the memorial. It was short and simple. A few memories shared, pictures looked at, hugs to all of us. My grandfather will be long remembered and loved. He was a special man and a very special part of my life.
I am grateful we knew he was dying. I am grateful I got to see him two more times before he left us. I got to tell him I loved him a few more times and heard him tell me that he loved me. I got to tell him Bailey has two girlfriends and in typical Papa fashion he thought that Bailey was a "stud". It will be a memory I will not soon forget. He also yelled at me one more time but again it just proves he was still "with it" until the end. I got to rub his arms for him and also his legs. He broke my heart one more time but I understand that he didn't mean to. He was a special man and one I will never forget.
When we were looking through pictures it was amazing how active he was in our lives. He was at both mine and my sister's graduations for both grammar school and also high school. He got to see all three of his great grandchildren soon after they were born. You can see the love he had for them in all of these pictures. My mom stated to the minister that he was a stern father to her. I did see that as her daughter but I also saw that all bets were off with his grandchildren and his great grandchildren. He loved us with wild abandon. We loved him back.
Papa-I will never forget you and will never stop loving you! Goodbye sweet man.
All day Wednesday and Thursday we prepared. We made memorial arrangements. We looked through pictures. We shopped for things and ran errands. It was the first time in many years I actually spent the night at my mom's house. I needed to be there for her.
Friday we had the memorial. It was short and simple. A few memories shared, pictures looked at, hugs to all of us. My grandfather will be long remembered and loved. He was a special man and a very special part of my life.
I am grateful we knew he was dying. I am grateful I got to see him two more times before he left us. I got to tell him I loved him a few more times and heard him tell me that he loved me. I got to tell him Bailey has two girlfriends and in typical Papa fashion he thought that Bailey was a "stud". It will be a memory I will not soon forget. He also yelled at me one more time but again it just proves he was still "with it" until the end. I got to rub his arms for him and also his legs. He broke my heart one more time but I understand that he didn't mean to. He was a special man and one I will never forget.
When we were looking through pictures it was amazing how active he was in our lives. He was at both mine and my sister's graduations for both grammar school and also high school. He got to see all three of his great grandchildren soon after they were born. You can see the love he had for them in all of these pictures. My mom stated to the minister that he was a stern father to her. I did see that as her daughter but I also saw that all bets were off with his grandchildren and his great grandchildren. He loved us with wild abandon. We loved him back.
Papa-I will never forget you and will never stop loving you! Goodbye sweet man.
