In Memory of Papa

2 years ago today........my grandpa lost his battle with cancer. It was a Thursday and Chet and I got the call that we needed to get up to the hospice house to be with him. We got Katelin in the truck so we could pick Owen up early from preschool, well before we left the driveway we got the call that he was gone. My first thought was Oh no, we didn't make it. My next thought..........he knows! He knows what happens when you die, he knows what's out there or up there or whatever it may be. He is probably with his mom and his dad, his brother and his sister, and his grandson that was only here for 6 short weeks. His only son, Drew, was with him when he died. I'm pretty sure he purposely waited until my Mom and my Grandma left for a short time to go, he wouldn't of wanted them to be there for that.

Papa wasn't the go out and play catch type of grandpa but he was a good man and a good Papa and I love him. The kids irritated him to no end but he loved them. My grandma most likely irritated him to no end too but he wouldn't dare admit that. He hid junk food in the basement because Nanny wouldn't let him have it. He thought I was a horrible driver and didn't want me driving their vehicles. I believe he had a pretty soft spot for my mom, his only daughter. He thought a lot of my husband. He loved his "sweetie" and would do anything for her and he knew he better do whatever she told him too.

He fought in WW II and was a PFC in the army. He saw things no man should see, still had shrapnel in, I believe, his leg, still had demons haunt him in his dreams from his time in the war. He didn't talk about this time in his life often but has a purple heart and a bronze star for his heroics.

He was one of the few positive male role models in my life growing up and 2 years later it still seems weird not to see him sleeping in his chair at the kitchen table at their house with the TV on in the kitchen with the closed captioning going. We love you Papa, put in a good word for us!!!!!