Grandpa was able to leave the hospital and drive by the Cider Mill and his workshop one last time before settling into his home again one last time. One night he mentioned his desire for a hamburger with a big onion. So at 10:30 at night Steve went out on a search for the juiciest burger with the biggest onion he could find. Grandpa was thrilled.
Our kids will truly miss their Great-grandpa! They knew him well and loved spending time hearing his stories and listening to his songs. They've collected up all sorts of memories of trips up north helping him open his cottage in the Spring and Fall trips helping him close things up. This last summer we even squeezed in a week mid-summer so we could enjoy the fruits of our labor and swim in the lake. Jake enjoyed fishing with him and Paige just loved sitting next to him talking his ear off. Connor loved to tease him about his love for Tabasco sauce.
Saying good-bye was hard, but the memories are dear.
Jake & his cousin Zak were junior pallbearers at the funeral.
Connor & Paige left Grandpa flowers,
that they had picked out, at his grave.
And Jake left a snowball.
He grandpa had a little tease going on. We visited him one night after the kids had spent the day in the snow. The were telling Grandpa all about their day and the big snowball fight they had. Grandpa had been working hard on his therapy so that his hands would work well again and he told the kids, "I'm working on my grip so when I get out of here, we'll have a snowball fight together!" Jake thought that would be fun and he reminded grandpa every time he saw him after that! So rather than flowers at the grave, he asked if he could leave him a snowball :).
We spent several days with family over the course of the week and everyone came by for dinner the night we had the funeral. It was a nice time of fellowship and remembering Grandpa.
Connor & Willow showed off their gymnastic abilities
and found they both share another love of cooking!
We are grateful for the great legacy that Grandpa has left us. He taught us how to keep going, how to never give up, how to never stop learning no matter how old you are, how to be thankful in all circumstances, how to journal, how to make the most of any situation and how there is no such word as "retire." He gave us more than he even knew. We are blessed.
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