My grandfather and I had always been close. I named my William after him. (If you ask Jason he will tell you Will is named after his great-grandfather. I chose all of our children's names and William was no exception. He may have the same name as Jason's great-grandfather but he's named after my grandfather and Jason.) While I knew that Grandpa had been sick for some time, he was always sick and always got better. I assumed that this hospital visit would be like all the others before. He would check in, have some tests run and eventually check out. Tired but fine. This time I know he was just too tired. He called my mom around 9:30 and died around 2AM. It happened quickly and he was surrounded by family. I'm glad he didn't suffer. It still doesn't make it any easier.
He left behind my Granny, his wife of almost 66 years. Seven surviving children. 17 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. What an amazing legacy.
My very first memory is of my grandfather. Ironic that we were visiting him in the hospital after a heart attack (I think his first but maybe second.) I was three maybe four and terrified of all the machines. The room was yellow and he told me it was okay, I could come on in and have a little talk with him. His gene's are responsible for my curly hair that's now been passed on to Bella and Drew. And my blue eyes that Will has too. I remember him teasing me mercilessly as a child, always coming to our house, picking us up every single Saturday night and driving us to dinner. I was always lucky enough to sit in the front seat between him and my Granny. I remember aimlessly wandering around stores when I was a child and Grandpa would always run into someone he knew. Or talking to someone like he knew them. When I was in the fourth grade, we moved two and a half hours away. He and my Granny would drive up to see us once a month.
I moved away from home the day after I got married and moved back one month after my first wedding anniversary. With a husband that was deployed and a new baby, my world was completely upside down. My grandparents drove up every single Sunday for dinner. Grandpa knew that once a month I sent Jason a care package full of cookies and other items. Every so often he would bring me little whiskey bottles to put in it. I would smile, laugh and tell him those couldn't be included in the package. He would shake his head and say "Every soldier should have a little whiskey". Some I returned and some he made me save for Jason's actual return. I will be forever grateful for the extra time Isabella and I got to spend with them. I know he and Granny had a hard time when we had to leave again. I tried to bring the kids back to visit every chance I could. They loved their Papa and Granny and enjoy spending time with them.
We decided to surprise him for Christmas this past year. After his surgery in September, I knew there weren't going to be many more Christmas' with Grandpa. It just won't be the same without him. I'll never forget the look on his face when we all walked through the door. "You just made my Christmas" he said with tears in his eyes. He was always doing something for everyone else. I'm glad I could finally do something just for him. My kids miss him. A day doesn't go by that one of them doesn't talk about him and I'm thankful that they were able to spend as much time with him as they did. Bella prays for him every night. She asks God to take extra good care of her Papa. He's new in heaven and she knows it's a really nice place. Still she really misses him down here with her. Amelia colored him a picture and didn't understand why I couldn't mail it to him. I finally appeased her by hanging it on our art board. God sees everything and since Papa's up there with him, she's sure he can too. Will talks about him all the time. I miss him. Every. Single. Day.
I worry about my Granny. She's a tough old girl but I know this hit her hard. She married grandpa when she was sixteen years old. To spend sixty five years with someone and then just have him gone, is difficult. I know that's what Grandpa worried about the most. Leaving his Ginny behind. I know the next few weeks are going to be the hardest for her. Father's Day, their anniversary, his birthday. I pray that she finds the strength to somehow get passed this.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.
John 14:27-29
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