My Grandpa

For several months my Grandpa was suffering from a severe pain in his leg that we found out was cancer. After lots of appointments with different doctors/Oncologists, they discovered the cancer was all over his body. Several weeks ago we were told he only had a few weeks to live.
He passed away on Friday at 3:16pm at the most wonderful Hospice center. He was surrounded by those who loved him.
The funeral was on Sunday. By the grace of God I was able to stand up and say some things about my Grandpa. It was so hard because he was one of my best friends and I didn't know if I'd be able to do it. But I did.
I wanted to share here what I said because it's so different for me when I tell someone I lost him and they say, "Oh yeah, I understand, I've been there, too." I realize they're being nice and understandable and everything, but they don't really understand the relationship I had with him, so I wanted to let people know.

"For someone to lose their grandfather is a terribly sad thing.

You tell people that you’re losing him or have lost him and they say they understand because they went through it as well.

Maybe, but that’s not the case with me.

My grandpa was not just my grandfather; he was my best friend. I haven’t lost a man who was just my grandfather; I lost a man who was my best friend, my buddy, my boyfriend, my confidant, AND my grandpa. I don’t think one finds the combination in a grandfather that often. But, that was our relationship. We weren’t just grandfather and granddaughter, we were cohorts, buddies, best friends. We both love joking and being funny. When he would tell me I was pretty, I would tell him how pretty he is and he would get this innocent look on his face and just say, “Oh, you’re just saying that ‘cause it’s true.” I was his special chef, anything he wanted that Memaw was unable to make, I would make. His favorites were my pumpkin cheesecake and banana pudding. Those were always his requests when I asked him what he wanted. I do believe, when it comes to those two things, he was my biggest fan. It won’t be as fun anymore to make them because he won’t get to enjoy them, but the rest of my family will, and he’ll be too busy praising God with my other loved ones that I’ve lost to think about food. How I look forward to seeing him walk again!

It was always my dream for him to be at my wedding and I once told him that he needed to stay here so he could be the first one to hold my baby, but, obviously, God had other plans. All of that would have been a special thing to me, but, what’s even more special to me is that he is walking along in Heaven now and he is no more pain. My greatest comfort is knowing that he is with my Jesus and I will see him again one day. Though, I have to admit I’m a bit jealous of my other loved ones in Heaven that will see him walk again before I do….but, it’s something to look forward to.

Seeing him at hospice was so painful for all of us. There were times when my family and I would be talking about something (usually something goofy, because that’s just the way we are) and I would often say something to him to include him in the conversation, particularly that our jokes are not as funny as his and we need his expertise; he was asleep the whole time, but I like to think he heard us anyway.

Those are sad things to remember, but I have so many good memories with him that I will cherish forever. It will be sad to not have him at my wedding or the birth of my first child, but I also, secretly, feel blessed that I had him all to myself for 26 years.

He is my hero and I will miss him more than one could possibly imagine, because, he wasn't just a grandfather to me, he was so much more."

That was my Grandpa. He was such an incredible man and I miss him dearly and can't wait to see him again one day!

Grace be with you.

Long Overdue

Back in early June, my best friend and her husband drove here from PA to visit the Creation Museum and to see me. I've been meaning to post pictures, but obviously never got around to it....until now.

Brittany and me standing with Moses!!

The cute couple: Jim & Brittany.

Brittany and me again. Our white tops weren't planned, ha.

:)

We had an awesome time. The day they came down here, Mommy & I took them out for dinner, which was a blast. Then the next day, the three of us went to the Creation Museum and caused some trouble (not really) and they took me out for lunch and brought me home and stayed for a few minutes. Then they left the next day. It was an awesome time. She and I have been friends for years but never met face-to-face until then, it was great and she rocks...and she's preggers and will be a great mother. I love them.

It's such a blessing that I was able to meet two of my best friends within 9 months when we had never met in person before. Such a blessing and I thank God for them and for the time that He blessed us with.

Grace be with you.

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day. A day to celebrate our mothers and shower them with gifts/flowers/whatever. We don't really do anything for Mother's Day, and I'll tell you why:
Mommy doesn't really want us to, for one thing, but also, she knows we love her and she doesn't want any material item to prove that. Mother's Day is a day to celebrate them, but why give them just one day throughout the whole year? Mothers are the most important people in our lives and celebrating them and showing them we love them should fall on more than just one day. Little (or even big) surprises all throughout the year are so much better, in my opinion, because they wouldn't expect it and that's a better surprise. We should show them we cherish them and how much they mean to us, show them we love them, on more than just one day. Mother's Day is a lovely idea, to be sure, but little things for them throughout the year are even better. You don't need a holiday or special occasion to do something special for someone you love. I'm not against the idea of celebrating it, by all means, this is just my own personal opinion about the holiday. (I feel the same way about Father's Day, by the way...and Grandparent's Day, for that matter). My mommy is the most important person in the world to me and every moment spent with her is a cherished memory, no matter what we're doing at the time. Spending time with her is something for which I will always be grateful. I am so thankful the Lord has blessed me with such a wonderful mother. She's the best example for me. She's my role model and I hope to be like her someday. She's a wonderful example of a Christian woman/wife/mother and there's no one on earth I would rather be like than her. Her faith is strong, she has a passionate love for Jesus and for her family. Jesus is everything to her and that really shows. With every hardship we face (and there have been many), everything that happens in our lives, she knows our Father is in control and will always take care of us....for He has. She always supports us and builds us up and we do the same for her, she more than deserves it. I love her-we love her-very, very much. Life would not be the same without her. I could never have asked for a better mother/girlfriend/best friend. This will probably sound unusual to others but, Mommy and I have never once, never once fought. So many girls fight over everything with their mothers and we honestly feel sorry for them because she and I have just always been so close and open with each other and it's sad that it's not like that with every mother/daughter relationship, there's never been a reason for us to fight anyway. It's unusual, and we love it (we both love being different from the world anyway). We truly are best friends and it will always stay like that and even after I am married, she will be my best girlfriend, for my hubby will be my new best friend, she looks forward to that day as much as I do. I'm so thankful for her, she's the best.

I'd also like to add another woman to this post that is like a second mother to me, and that is, my grandmother (my mommy's mom). To be perfectly honest, everything I've said about my own mommy applies to my grandmother as well. No one has been more blessed with a grandmother. Something we've always said about her (and this is the same about my mommy) is that every time we go through a hardship, just thinking about her and going to see her brings tears to our eyes because of the love she has for us and the love we have for her. There have been times that we've cried together and she manages to stay so strong because her faith in our Saviour is so strong. There are times during those hard things, that, when we're with her, we don't even have to say anything to each other because being with her is more than enough. I don't know how to explain this love we have for each other because it is unlike any that exists between a grandmother and her grandchildren. She knows all about us, just like a mother would be with her own children, it's incredible. A mother is very protective of her children and would lay down her life for them, my memaw is the same way with her own children and with her grandchildren, I don't know how strong that protective mother instinct is found in grandmothers for their grandchildren. She and my mommy are the wisest women I know and I can go to them for everything and know that if something is meant to be kept just between us, it will forever be kept just between us. Spending time with her is a joy and a treasure, memories I will cherish forever. She and I are so alike in so many ways, it's almost unnatural...and I wouldn't have it any other way.
These women mean the world to me. They are nurturing, caring, loving, strong, and so many other good things. They are extraordinary women of faith and I'm so thankful for them.

God has truly blessed us.

Grace be with you.

The Best Surprise

On the 4th of September, I was blessed and surprised to have finally met a best friend face-to-face after 7 years of communication but no meeting.
Monica was telling me about the vacation she and her husband of two years, Adam, were taking and I was just so excited for them. Little did I know, the whole point of their vacation was to come down to Kentucky for a few days to see me.

On the 4th, I was scheduled to have a dexa scan and then Mommy and I planned to have a girls' day out together. After the scan, we went to Starbucks and then I had to run in Sam's to get a bag of Millstone coffee (which they have at a great price there for a bag so big). What I didn't know was while I was in both places, Mommy had been making phone calls to make sure everything was on schedule.
After my suggestion to go to Cracker Barrel because Mommy and I always liked going there together, we headed on our way. It turns out, they had planned to meet there anyway, so it was funny that that's what I chose.
Mommy and I went inside and were kind of looking around in the little store (I say "kind of" because she wasn't really looking around at the store, she was looking directly at me and rather than walking away from me, she kept backing up, making sure that I was looking at her). Finally, when we reached the back of the store, she put her finger on my cheek as if there was something there and she was getting it off me. Then she said to me, "Get ready," and I was wondering why she said that when I felt a tap on my back and someone said, "Excuse me." I turned around and there was my sweet Monica and her sweet husband, Adam. She and I grabbed each other and hugged, laughed, and cried for, I don't know, no less than 30 seconds I would imagine. Finally we pulled apart and Monica said, "Hi."
We went outside for a little while to sit and talk and then we got a table and sometime later, Daddy and Chris arrived to join us. They had been planning this for months and my whole family knew about it, but were able to keep it a secret for so long, without dropping any clues.
When Daddy and Chris arrived, we ordered our food and had a really nice time together, though, I didn't really say much because I was so, so, so surprised and excited, I felt like I was in a dream. To think that I finally had my "sis" and best friend sitting next to me, talking to me, was totally awesome.
When we left, we went over to Monica and Adam's hotel (where my awesome Mommy & Daddy paid for their room) and made plans to get together the next day.
The next day came and Mommy and I got to their hotel at about 1:00. Daddy and Chris had to stay home because our sink needed to be fixed before Adam and Monica came over for dinner that night.
So, Mommy and I picked up Monica and then we started our awesome, fun day. Unfortunately, when we were in a little gift store, Monica got a phone call from a friend saying that a friend of Adam's had passed away. I hugged her and cried with her, then Mommy gave me the keys to the car and Monica and I went out there together. But, we were still able to enjoy our time, even after the bad news.

We left there and went to Hobby Lobby and looked around for awhile and Mommy got some pushpins and I bought Monica her favorite candy (Gummy Bears) for her Birthday which is on the 17th.
After Hobby Lobby we went to Starbucks (which is quite conveniently located right in front of Hobby Lobby) and got Pumpkin Spice Lattes and I got Monica a cake pop because she saw some on the cover of a magazine at Hobby Lobby and said she had never had one before so I told her she had to get one. We enjoyed our time in there for awhile and then Mommy took Monica and me back to their hotel so the 2 of us girls could spend some time together for awhile.
Adam had been doing his own thing for the day and then when he came back to the hotel, the 3 of us talked for awhile and then he wanted to watch a football game (I think) and so Monica and I decided to go out to the lobby and talk out there, then decided it was too hot, so we went out and sat on a little bench. We were so pleased that it was so cool outside because it had been so hot earlier. It was storming, but we were sitting right outside the door and had protection, we did get just a little bit wet, but we were fine with that. We sat there for at least an hour and a half, I think, just talking. I finally got a phone call from Chris saying they were done and we could come on over.
We went back to the hotel room, got Adam, and I directed him to our place as he drove.
Dinner was pulled pork sandwiches, cornflake hash brown casserole, and cole slaw. The 6 of us had a wonderful time together and I was finally able to steal Monica away to my room where we talked, laughed, looked through decorating magazines, and decided we should be interior decorators because we didn't like a lot of the things we saw in the magazines, so then we'd be able to look through magazines and see things we like if we were the decorators.
We all had a wonderful time and they stayed for, I would say, about 5 hours, leaving at about 11:45.
The next day was the hard day. Daddy was at work so Mommy, Chris, and I met up with Adam and Monica at their hotel and I joined the two of them in their car while Mommy led the way to Memaw and Grandpa's so they could meet them. We had another wonderful time there, talking and laughing.
Then came the time for departure. After taking some pictures, Monica and I stood hugging for probably over a minute, crying.
They said goodbye to everyone else and I walked Monica to their car where we hugged for several seconds again, still crying. Then we waved goodbye as they backed out of the driveway and headed back.

We had such a wonderful time and it is even now still surreal to me that they were actually here, that we finally got to meet.
The sweet thing is, it was Adam who suggested that they come down here. He took his vacation to take his wife to see me.

Now I'll share some pictures from the visit:

Outside Cracker Barrel.

At the table.

Adam & Monica

Coming out of Hobby Lobby.

Hanging out at Starbucks.

On the bench outside their hotel.

Hanging out in my room.

At Memaw & Grandpa's house.

Saying "Goodbye." <3

I am so thankful to God that He blessed us with that time together and I look forward to when we'll be able to get together again. Hopefully we won't have to wait too long, Lord willing.

Grace be with you.