My Grandfather passed away Sunday October 19th, 2014. We drove up for the funeral a few days later and I was honored to be able to write something from my heart to say at the funeral. I know all the grammar isn't correct, but this is what I typed out to read and I would like to share it.
Grandpa’s house: from the eyes of a grandchild
Going to Grandpa's house has always been a great experience with many fond memories for us grandkids. As a small child, Grandpas house felt so large you could go explore and feel like you could do lots of different things without any of the adults around. You could play in different areas of the living room, dining room, the different bedrooms downstairs - (my favorite one was Uncle Kelley’s old room with all of the horses and… some halloween decorations[?]), and go sliding up and down the hallway in our socks to see who could go further, and play outside taking walks in the woods making booby traps for the adults to fall into - (well mainly Uncle Tracy and sometimes uncle Kelley because the other adults would either get mad at us for making them fall into a hole or just wouldn't participate in our antics), and play in the front yard collecting flowers or catching fire flies or playing football…. And many times all the cousins would get lots of blankets to make pallets on the floor of the living room to watch movies and Grandpa would even let us invade his space in his bedroom to watch movies there too.
Us grandkids always thought Grandpa was so technologically advanced and had the coolest stuff. He had that huge projection tv - the kind with the three color lights shining on the screen… we thought that was so cool….. and of course used it to make shadow puppets.
The landing on the stairs where you can look out the window, was a favorite spot. We would play there and we would also run there to look out the window whenever someone would come down the driveway and the loud chimes would let everyone in the house know that someone new was there…. or that someone was just using the drive way to turn around - that was always disappointing.
Us grandkids loved Grandpa’s house… always a great experience. We loved our Grandpa too. He was always so funny, using his dry humor telling jokes, letting us ride with him in his truck or the conversion van with the TV and Nintendo 64... so awesome. And sometimes we would go through the drive-through to get a hamburger… for Benji (the dog). Grandpa always seemed relaxed and calm surrounded by his family… even if things were crazy- you know... with all of us grandkids running around.
Christmas was always an experience too - Whether it was getting one hundred one dollar bills or the year Grandpa pulled into the driveway with a truck bed full of gifts. But more importantly, Christmas was filled with family. Family is and was always important.
Last night after coming back from the funeral home, seeing most of my family there, the kids were so crazy. My youngest was just exhausted because he is still a baby and it was past his bedtime. My middle was having a break down over anything that wasn't exactly the way she wanted it, even though she probably didn't know how she wanted it because she is two. And my oldest ran to the stairs to look out the window because the loud chimes let everyone in the house know that someone new was there... and she fell and busted her lip. After we got them settled down, and into bed, and some of the other people left…. I needed to take a moment from the crazy. So I walked outside, stood on the front walkway, looked up, and… ***take in a deep breath and let it out*** The air was cool and the stars were beautiful… and I appreciate my wonderful crazy family, and where I am in my life right now…. and just life.
We Love you and miss you Grandpa
