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saying goodbye....

this weekend we'll are saying good-bye to my grandpa. grandpa was 94 years old - can you imagine?
me and my grandpa

grandpa was an amazing man that led his family well! i always remember him telling jokes or laughing, but we also couldn't get away with much when grandpa was around. he loved peanuts, so much so that every christmas we would all buy him peanuts. while it sounds superficial, it is such a real memory and to this day, when i eat peanuts i always think of him.

i was the youngest grandchild, #13 actually, so when i went to visit it was just me. when i was born they had just sold the farm and moved to town. it was a small town and he knew everyone. from the time i could walk, he would walk with me up town to get pizza, take me to the rainbow restaurant, or to the dime store to pick out a treasure of some kind. it was a long walk, but he would always be so patient.

what i really remember is that grandpa loved us all. he always encouraged us and always accepted anyone we brought through his doors.

with the great grandkids 4 years ago
when grandpa and grandma moved into a senior citizen complex he was the only man in their building. he would always complain about it - but i think he secretly liked it! he loved to tell us stories of all the ladies when we would come for a visit and he sure did know a lot about those ladies.


us grandkids

grandpa never missed an event in our lives. he came for birthday's, graduations, games, weddings, and random sunday afternoon visits. i vividly remember them showing up at our house when we'd been married a few years. they stood there with a lamp in hand - the matching lamp had gone to my sister.
my kiddos with them several years ago
94 years! he'd been a politician - well, he claims he wasn't so well liked because he would do what was right - not popular. that was something i think he loved talking about with hubby:) but mostly he was husband, father, farmer, grandpa, great-grandpa, and friend.
i took my kids for one last visit in june. while grandpa barely talked or moved, he knew us and i know he loved our visit. it broke my heart to see him unable to simply talk, i think it broke his too. i'm thankful for his impact in my life. for his ever-present kindness, love and encouragement.
grandpa will be missed. he lived well and he loved well and he leaves behind a legacy.



Comments

Natalie said…
great tribute to a deserving grandfather.
August 6, 2010 at 11:17 PM
Caviar Dreams said…
God bless you and your family.You knew you were loved and that shows in your words.We all have loved ones that have made our lives better and made us the people we are today.Remember to pass it on in your children because that is all you really can do to remember what is in your heart is their forever.
August 17, 2010 at 10:12 PM
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