I am feeling bittersweet this week for my wordless/word full Wednesday post. My mom sent me a care package earlier this week, in the package was an old (circa 1980’s) photo of me and two of my cousins riding on my grandpa’s back. In case you don’t know, I have the world’s greatest grandfather. Grandpa Hamilton was the only grandpa I knew growing up. He was my only greatest grandpa in the whole wide world! And you know what, I am pretty darn sure that if there was another to compare him to… he would have come out on top.
When I think of memories with my grandpa, flashing back to my childhood… even up through my early twenties, I smile. I have the world’s greatest grandpa.
When I was a child, I remember grandpa on the floor with me (and all my sisters and cousins) coloring, doing puzzles, and playing with us.
When I grew older (tween-teenage), I remember sitting on the couch next to him and he would very softly rub my back and ask me about the latest going on in my life. I remember being mortified when he found out I was wearing a bra (pre-teen).
In my early twenties, I enjoyed making a pit stop in St. Louis to my grandparents home while driving to visit my then fiance (now husband) in Illinois. My grandma would do most of the talking, but grandpa would sit quietly at the kitchen table and smile all the while looking at me with his intense blue eyes, almost as if to drink it all in.
The biggest warm fuzzy memory I have of my grandpa is each and every greeting and goodbye grandpa would take his two large hands and place them on the side of my face, look deeply into my eyes and say, “How are you today?” and “I love you!”
It has been 5 years since my grandfather left this earth to go to his heavenly home. I know that he is no longer in pain and is awaiting for his wife (my grandmother) and our family when our time comes. Yet the sting of his absence still hurts.
When I think of my grandpa, I remember:
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Grandpa was not a man of many words. But when he spoke with his quiet, Boston accent… it was VERY wise to listen!
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Grandpa LOVED his family!
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Grandpa LOVED Jesus.
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Grandpa really really liked Fox News.
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Grandpa liked molasses on everything.
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Grandpa introduced me to the tasty world of marshmellow & peanut butter sandwiches.
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Grandpa LOVED me… faults and all.
You see, in case you haven’t quite figured it out… but, I have the world’s best grandpa! He might be in heaven today… but his memories and voice still ring true in my heart.
Suzanne says
How sweet! Grandfathers are the best!