Grandpa has gone Home.....

Grandpas they are wonderful things aren’t they, and while I realize that there is an entire industry built around the #1 Grandpa and Grandma mugs and such paraphernalia I regret to inform the rest of the world that we, all 12 of us cousins, had the only Grandpa truly deserving the title.

Having received the news that Grandpa had gone home today, a place he had visited and longed to take up residence one day, I have been thinking a lot of this pivotal man in my life. So if you will allow me this brief walk down memory lane I believe you will know in the end why he has been the best Grandpa from the start.

I remember coming up to the cottage on Friday nights and Grandma and Grandpa would hear us walk in and from somewhere in the cottage would resound the signal that all would be well. What did that signal sound like? Something like this: Hello Hello Helllllloooooo! One of the best sounds ever!
Thanks for providing a safe port in the storms.

I remember that Grandpa used to have a hard time figuring out whether he needed a shave or not on any given day and we were asked to help him decide by grandpa running his scruffy face up against our and inquiring of our wisdom in regards to relative scruffiness and such things that only Grandchildren can be a reliable test for.

I remember Grandpa saying grace before each meal. Somehow while the prayer finished the same way each time, he maintained a passion and surety in the God that we serve and are loved by that came through in those few words. If there is anything I could emulate about both grandpa and grandma it is the way they have exemplified Jesus in all that they do and not just in words but through all that they are.

I remember slide shows of Israel that seemed to go forever as a child and that Grandpa could tell a story or know the history of every rock and bush in every slide… remarkable!

I remember going out in search of him when it was time for lunch and finding him somewhere fixing something wearing either a red checkered jacket or a red puffy one depending on the weather. Either way he was easy to find!
Grandpa was always a stylish man ….. that is as long as plaid pants and velour tops were in fashion. And even if they weren’t, let’s face it folks, he wore them with pizzazz and he was very soft to hug, so I say that’s a good a reason as any to become your own fashion icon.

I remember when I was 15 I got not only a bad haircut but also a perm. We walked into the cottage and Grandpa looked at me with smiling eyes and said “well hello fuzzy” and it stuck. Yep, somehow those words made it alright and even somewhat amusing even if he was still calling me fussy last year.

I remember playing Pictionary with Grandpa in the kitchen and while you may not win with Grandpa on your team you would certainly have the best laughs! Thanks for the wooly worms Grandpa.

I remember swimming with Grandpa, crawling up on his knee, on the red chair at the cottage for a good cuddle. Listening to him play the piano like no one was listening, watching him build a fire that seemed more art then science, being the little “elfs” at Christmas who would bring him the gifts for him to disperse to the right individual at the exact right time and ducking when random socks or nylons from “Santa” aka Grandpa would come sailing towards your head, driving to town thinking Grandpa had to be the best driver ever in whatever large GM land yacht he had at the time and watching the Masters together down south the first year Tiger woods won.

Often life is defined by banner moments and the people that got you through the hard ones as well. Grandpa and Grandma feature as key people in both and I will always be thankful to God for having such amazing and loving people as my grandparents.

Have fun playing Golf with Moses Grandpa, watch he doesn’t do anything tricky with the water shots!