My sweet Grandfather was a gem. When I was little I was in the hospital often with JRA and Lupus. I had to have shots and tests and my cute grandpa would drive up to Primary Children's Hospital in the Avenues and sit with me while I was poked and prodded as I hated needles. I think about that now as an adult and see the love and sacrifice. I now know what it is to get out of a warm bed in the winter while it is still dark outside, and he was in his 70s. He was a widow by then and he had started into the early stages of Alzheimer's. I see him so often in my brother and cousin. They are both tall and thin like he was. They have the posture and walk he had. They even have some of his kind temperament and soft spoken humor. He was so fun. I remember one time when he let me eat whipped cream for dinner, Grandma was not happy. He used to blow straws at us in public. He had these incredible journals where he poured his heart out and talked about how much he loved us and worried for us and prayed for us. He leaves a written testimony of his believe in Jesus as the Christ and in the Gospel being restored to the earth. He talks of his love of fishing and the deep pain he felt at losing his sweetheart. I have never heard of a man so in love as he was with her. He would buy 2 Christmas trees and saw one apart to make her dream tree. He tenderly cared for her. We all adored him, we still do. I can't wait for him to meet Scott. They will be great friends, with so much in common. As I watch my friends bury their grandparents (poor Sonya had both hers die within a week of each other) I wonder what it would be like to have an adult relationship with mine. They were all dead by the time I was 10. What is it like to have family all around? There is something magic in the whole generation gap. Like Rita says "Grandparents and grandkids are such great friends because they share a common enemy." Grandpa really left us some many wonderful gifts and examples. My little brother (who I miss so much it still hurts) reminds me of my grandpa.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Grandapa's gifts
My sweet Grandfather was a gem. When I was little I was in the hospital often with JRA and Lupus. I had to have shots and tests and my cute grandpa would drive up to Primary Children's Hospital in the Avenues and sit with me while I was poked and prodded as I hated needles. I think about that now as an adult and see the love and sacrifice. I now know what it is to get out of a warm bed in the winter while it is still dark outside, and he was in his 70s. He was a widow by then and he had started into the early stages of Alzheimer's. I see him so often in my brother and cousin. They are both tall and thin like he was. They have the posture and walk he had. They even have some of his kind temperament and soft spoken humor. He was so fun. I remember one time when he let me eat whipped cream for dinner, Grandma was not happy. He used to blow straws at us in public. He had these incredible journals where he poured his heart out and talked about how much he loved us and worried for us and prayed for us. He leaves a written testimony of his believe in Jesus as the Christ and in the Gospel being restored to the earth. He talks of his love of fishing and the deep pain he felt at losing his sweetheart. I have never heard of a man so in love as he was with her. He would buy 2 Christmas trees and saw one apart to make her dream tree. He tenderly cared for her. We all adored him, we still do. I can't wait for him to meet Scott. They will be great friends, with so much in common. As I watch my friends bury their grandparents (poor Sonya had both hers die within a week of each other) I wonder what it would be like to have an adult relationship with mine. They were all dead by the time I was 10. What is it like to have family all around? There is something magic in the whole generation gap. Like Rita says "Grandparents and grandkids are such great friends because they share a common enemy." Grandpa really left us some many wonderful gifts and examples. My little brother (who I miss so much it still hurts) reminds me of my grandpa.
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