Grandpa

I hugged his neck on Saturday and now he's gone.  It's always so hard to wrap my mind around the fact that I can't talk to a person again.  Can't go visit them and share stories and meals.  Since we live far away it's hard to remember that they aren't there just waiting for us to come visit again.

This is the last picture I have of Grandpa, taken last October when we were evacuating from our fires.  He got to hang out with my girls and they were old enough to interact with him.

This is one of the first that I have access to here in Oregon.  Grandpa with Cory, his first Great Grandchild.  He now has 8! (two unborn as of the taking of the photo below)

This is Brian's grandpa, but I've always called him mine.  So I've only really known him for just over 8 years.  I can't begin to share those 8 years, let alone his 92 years of life.

I'm pretty sure I met him and Grandma even before I met Brian's parents.  Since they lived in the same town where we were going to grad school.  Even if it was later than that I still remember that first meal at their old place.  Boisterous talking, good food, singing grace, and just comfy people.  I knew I was "on display", but it was okay.

singing, always

My other early memory is after we were married, but before we had kids.  I got tickets from my aunt to a Blazers game on a long weekend so we came down and took them.  The Blazers were their team and even though I don't remember watching much TV with them, I knew this was their history.  Brian told me about coming over to watch games at their house while he as in college.  It was so fun to be their chauffeurs to that game.

That and his garden.  He didn't have much left by the time I knew him, but he always wanted to show us his flowers, and they were gorgeous!

He was the last one.  Since Noah was born, in the last 3 1/2 years we've lost all our grandparents that were at our wedding.  It's a strange feeling.  He may be the only one that Cory remembers and for sure the only one that Noah will remember.  I hope they remember, but I also hope we can talk about them.  I don't want to forget all the love they had for us.

After a walk to the gardens

Family was so important to them and I loved how they made a point to let us know they were praying for us, all of us.  We knew there was nothing more important than people in their lives.  Grandpa spent his life caring, as a doctor, and as a human, for those around him.  It will show in the memories we bring up in the next days and weeks.

I always felt like I was included as one of the grandkids when I married into the family.  Even though he sometimes got my name wrong, I knew that he still loved me too.  For that I am thankful.  

Baby Hope

Baby Noah - Grandpa's watch was always a hit

Baby Cory

These are all the photos I have access to since I'm not at home.  But I have a few more I wish I could post and maybe I will next week.  These have all been previously published on this blog, but are now collected in one place.

We'll miss you Grandpa!