Grandpa.

10 years ago tomorrow my Grandpa passed away.
Everyone loses their Grandparents. It is something we all know will happen, and as those people in our lives age, it's only natural that God would call them home.

But it's still so very sad, because death is hard for the living. 

My Mom's Mom (Grandma Craig) is still living. She is healthy and active. The woman walks miles and miles, alone, everyday. She mows her own lawn, she makes between 5 and 12 quilts every year- BY HAND. She cleans her own house and she makes more food than any one person could ever need just to store in her freezer.  (The Coach has a very special bond with my Grandma. She needs him to help when her computer "isn't working" and the Coach needs Grandma to keep making him Chili! Ha- I'm not kidding.) I think about Grandma Craig everyday but when December 10th comes around....well, you can imagine, I have a heavy heart. As I prepare to start a new marriage I spend lots of time thinking about how deeply I love my fiance'. I look forward to spending the rest of my life with this man. I want to have children with him. I want to help each other grow our careers, I want to build a happy healthy home and I want him to be by my side forever. I can't imagine being without him for 10 days, let alone 10 years.

How deeply she must miss him, how sad she must feel at times, how much she must miss being hugged or dancing in the kitchen together or going to tractor shows or watching ball games together.

I know that my Grandma is surrounded by family who love her very deeply. But that doesn't change the longing that I know she has for my Grandpa. Our God is so good. I know that he has given my Grandpa a kind of peace and joy that he never knew on earth. But as tomorrow approaches, I ask that you all say a little prayer for my Mom and her Sister as they remember their Dad and for my Grandma, that she may find hope and solace and joy in remembering such a fun, hard working, loyal and loving man. I hope that some day my Grandchildren have as many happy memories with the Coach and I do with my Grandpa.

If you have Grandparents around, please hug them this Christmas for me.

Love & Peace.