I'm going to be a part of an unwelcome family reunion this week. Not that I don't love my family, but you see, my grandfather passed away. He was 88 years old and had a full, wonderful life and although his health was failing, his death was a bit of a shock to us all.
First let me tell you a bit about grandpa. He was a WWII veteran, was born and lived his entire life in the same small town of about 300 people. When he started courting his first wife, he built their house with his own two hands from top to bottom. They had a son and a wonderful life until she passed away from cancer many years ago. My granparents lived in the same small town and after my granfather passed away of cancer, Grandpa Jim set his sights on grandma and making her is wife. I think she resisted a bit, but then she gave in and they were married 23 years ago. She moved into his house and they've been together through good times & bad, the worst of which being a severe head injury she had several years ago where his devotion to her never waivered. Grandpa's health was failing, but he was still doing well even if he couldn't do all of the things he loved.. Every morning he would make her coffee, they would have breakfast together and then he would wash the breakfast dishes. He would then go downstairs to the unfinished basement and the original bathroom of the house - really just a sink, a toilet in the middle of the room and a shower head from the wall - and he would get ready for the day. Usually, his biggest plans for the day were going out to get the mail and going into town to get something to eat. He wasn't able to do the things he prided himself so much on - taking care of projects around the house, mowing his meticulous lawn, or keeping deer & squirels out of grandma's garden so the passing of time was no friend of his. He thrived on routine and having things "just so" and meals on the table at the right time. He lived for baseball and the World Series - especially if the Cardinals were doing well that season.
Last Saturday started out as any other day would with breakfast and grandpa going downstairs to get ready. After a while, grandma noticed he hadn't come back upstairs and went to check on him. She couldn't find him and his clothes were still laid out waiting for him. She called a neighbor for help and after some searching they found him, but had to call for help. No one knows why, but grandpa had walked out of the basement door of the house and down to the creek, which is really a small river itself, and somehow drowned. We are all so saddened and confused over this because if you knew my grandpa, you would know that going outside in his robe & slippers wasn't "proper" and he never would have done such a thing.
So now I am flying up to Missouri tomorrow with the baby for the funeral. My mom is already there, my aunt & cousin will be there and last night my brother & his fiance told us they would be in also. I have booked a small inn to stay at that is in town and happens to be my grandmother's first house that I stayed in when I grew up. So I will be eating in the same kitchen, sleeping in the same bedroom and Ryker will be taking a bath in the same kitchen sink as I did as a child. Okay, maybe not the exact same house since they've done some beautiful renovations over the years, but you get the nostalgia I am feeling at all of this.
My grandpa was well known, well loved and much respected - the whole town has stepped up to hold my grandma up during this time of great sadness as only a small town can. Whether we understand things or not, it is all in God's timing for our lives and only He knows how it unfolds. All that I am feeling is pale in comparrison of how she must feel at losing her husband of so many years. A picture I found of them says it all best - they are dancing cheek-to-cheek, eyes closed obliviious to the world around them, in love with each other. If each of us gets to experience that feeling for even a fraction of the time they had together - we are blessed beyond measure. Grandpa, you will be loved and missed as we rejoice in your return home to Our Father.
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