It makes me so sad to post this post right now. My dear grandpa, Paul passed away 2 and a half weeks ago. We had his funeral almost 2 weeks ago.
He is a very handsome man.
He is actually my great uncle but him and his wife had stepped in as parents to my mom and grandparents to us kids. My mom's parents both tragically died when she was 4. I posted about it a couple of years ago. You can read it here.
I am so glad we were in my grandparent's neighborhood a couple weeks before he passed. We decided to go pay them a visit. I was so glad he got to meet Ashlyn. Grandma, Marion is holding Ashlyn in the picture. Yes, my sister was named after my grandma.
I am glad I got one last picture with my Grandpa.
I want to share a cool little story. About a year ago my aunts were in town visiting. We all met over to my grandparents house one day while they were here. The next day, my mom and her sister met up over at their house again. I was supposed to go too that evening but didn't because I had something going on. I figured I had gone over the day before anyway. Let me just tell you something, I wish I would have gone because my grandparents had some very special visitors.
Are
you
ready
to
see
who
came
to
visit?
Elder Oaks and his lovely wife!
They had come to pay my grandparents a visit and to check on my Grandpa. My Grandma is a seamstress and she had done some work for sister Oaks before.
My mom didn't know who they were. She just new he was a man of the church. She told him, "My daughter is very involved in the church and that I would know who he was." Then she asked if she could get a picture of him. He of course had no problem with that. That night my mom told me to go onto facebook to identify who she had met and I was floored! I of course was not happy that I had missed out!
The viewing.
I didn't take any pictures at the viewing because I was not in the mood, so I took some of the pictures my Mom took. I got them off of her facebook photos.
Here is Ashlyn and me.
I didn't have Ayla. I left her home with her dad. I didn't want to have to chase her around because she would have been bored. I wanted to go reflect and morn without interruption.
My aunt, Kathy is holding my little sweetheart in this picture.
This is my great uncle, Allen with my Mom.
He is grandpa, Paul's brother. I feel really sad for him because he is the only one left out of all his immediate family. He is such a sweet man too.
This is my Grandma with her cousin and her sister, Norma. My grandma is the one on the right. I am so glad my Grandma has her sister and her cousin. They are all really close. Plus, Norma lost her husband years ago and knows how my Grandma feels.
Me with my uncle, Allen.
My cousin Jessica and me.
This is Jennifer.
She loved holding Ashlyn. She is my cousin too. Grandpa always talked about her when I was around him. He really loves her. She really is a cute girl.
The funeral.
I was still not in the mood to take pictures the day of the funeral.
But when I walked in and saw my brother wearing one of my Grandpa's suites. I lost it. I had to get the camera out and take a picture. I had never seen him in a suite. I felt that it was so appropriate that he wore it that day in honor of Grandpa.
After that I kept the camera out.
Here is my aunt, Pam holding Ashlyn.
Aunt Shirley and uncle, Allen.
Aunt Shirley holding Ashlyn.
One of my siblings and me with Grandma.
Some beautiful flowers that matched the flowers on the casket.
It reads, "Loving Sons, Daughter."
We had the funeral services at the grave site.
His pallbearers were 5 of his sons and his brother.
My Mom took this beautiful picture. I love it!
The flowers read, "Husband."
Jennifer and one of her friends played their violins for the services.
Me and my sister, Marion putting our hands on the casket.
We had a luncheon at my Grandma's church after. I had to share this cute picture of my little peanut sleeping.
The services were beautiful.
There was an opened mic and my Mom said a few words. She said the most wonderful things. It was so appropriate.
Some of the things I remember her saying were...
Paul and Marion were the closest thing to parents that she had.
They taught her what love was and how to love herself.
She would not be who she is today without them.
Paul taught her to swim and how to ride a bike.
I will always be grateful to my grandpa, Paul and grandma, Marion for what they did for my mother. I have a loving mother because she was taught love by them.
I am going to miss visiting with my Grandpa at his house and at Denny's. He loved to go to coffee in the morning at Denny's. We would sometimes go and meet him there.
We miss you Grandpa.
Please keep my Grandma in your prayers.
Please keep my Grandma in your prayers.
