CrapPa

Today would have been my grandpa's 103rd birthday. I have been thinking about him a lot lately and how much I truly appreciated him as a grandfather.  Knowing that Nick is going through some of the same emotions that I felt eighteen years ago has brought those last few months of his life to the forefront of my mind.  There's nothing easy about losing a beloved grandparent - someone who supported you in your youth, loved you, and truly looked forward to seeing you.  It's a special relationship and not one that every grandparent or grandchild gets to experience.  

I feel extremely grateful to have spent so much time with my grandpa, listening to his stories, fixing things in his garage, smashing cans in the backyard, and learning more life skills than I will ever be able to count.  It takes a special person to have patience with a young child and to truly teach them about life. I never grew bored of hanging out with him and always looked forward to seeing him.  I realize that those days are long gone, but for me the feel like yesterday, and I will forever remember him pointing his finger at me on my wedding day, giving me advice and being truly happy for me.  So tonight, whether I salt a beer in his honor or fix a running toilet, I will honor him the best way that I know how, passing the biggest life lesson that I learned from him on to my own children, unconditional love.