Grandpa

I wonder what you see when you look at these photos of Grandpa.

He always told me I was a good member of the family.

And really, that's all I ever aspired to be.

I had him longer than my own two biological grandfathers combined. He was a tease. He loved little children. I was pushing him around Old Faithful in the travel chair and he would initiate conversations with little kids, "Hello, Girls!" He loved to get out. He never forgot my birthday or our anniversary. He worried about his posterity. We used to chat over the phone and talk about the weather of course and when the asparagus would come up in the ditch. Weather and crops. Crops and weather. He was an Iowa farmer. My in-laws were able to check him out of the nursing home and take him out to the farm for visits. He asked if they would drive him down to the bridge to look at the crops. He thought of other people and noticed the kindness of others in his behalf. He was silly at Christmas, especially the way he wrapped his gifts. He loved cookies. I've mowed his lawn. He's napped on our bed. He liked my chicken soup from scratch. Everything has played out so peacefully. Tender mercies everywhere! My Grandpa. Such a Sweetie.