Good bye to Grandpa... I love you

I have been wanting to put this post together but I have been consumed by the sheer business of what we had to accomplish and by the pure emotion that I have felt over the last few weeks.

On Friday March 30, 2012 I awoke to a text telling me that my Grandfather had passed away.  I have been preparing myself over the last 2 years for just such news.  He had been getting weaker and weaker with many many visits to the hospital over the last few months.  And while it wasn't shocking news, I was surprised and very sad.  Sad that it was time to say good-bye. Sad that a whole life time had passed so quickly. Sad that I would miss my Grandpa.  The moment he was gone, I forgot how sick he was and only remembered the healthy Grandpa. And oh how I remembered.

He was a beautiful little boy with crystal blue eyes... he had those beautiful eyes till the end.

He was technically my "step" grandpa, and the only reason the ABSOLUTE only reason I even mention this is so you understand a few things. 1. You need to know it for the story and 2. You need to know that I really only came to understand what that meant when I was fairly old. To me he was mine. My grandpa... no step blah blah blahs.  I was his and he was mine. So on with the story....

 

He married my Grandma in 1959....

 

He brought with him 3 darling kiddos

 

And she contributed 4... my mom is the girlie on top.

They made it work so well, they added to the bunch! They did it so well, that everyone forgot who was half or whole or step or whatever... they were theirs and visa versa.

 

He was a very special dad (with my mom)

 

 

And a very special Grandpa (with me circa 1974)

 He was Santa... seriously people who can say that about their Grandpa??? Can you? ( with me and my cousins)

 

1978 (#3 is in Grandma's arms #2 is the blonde in the middle and I am on the right)

To Be Continued....