Papa

This week we celebrate the life of Jacob's grandfather (Papa)....90 long, great years...a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather.  He passed the way everyone dreams of passing, in his sleep along side his loving wife. 

I still haven't seen a picture to prove it, but apparently Jacob's red hair gene came from Papa (Granny claims he had auborn hair in his younger years.) I can not tell you the number of times we have already answered the "so where did the red hair come from?" in reference to Mitchell's hair....so we will have a fond reminder of Papa for years and years to come each time we answer that question.

Jacob has very fond memories of growing up with Granny & Papa.  Papa always spoiled him by taking him to the Indian Trading center.  

Jacob said his fond memories of Papa also include many games of dominos. 

Family photo in 2000ish

One of my favorite family photos at Christmas.  Katy and I are wearing new scarves that Granny made for us :)

My favorite picture of the two of them...from our wedding in Sept 2005.  

 

 It was a long trip for them from Oklahoma, but we were so very thankful to have them there. 



Jacob's family....from L to R

Katy (sister), Rick (stepdad), Jacob, Karen (mom), Granny & Papa

With Mitchell's birth, Papa became "Great Papa".  I will never forget the first time we visited them in Oklahoma.  Mitchell was FUSSY and needed a nap.  I had a hard time getting him down for a nap, but when he was finally asleep, I needed a quiet dark place to lay him.  I laid him on Papa's closet floor.  A bit later when I checked on him, Mitchell had woken up and made a mobile out of Papa's pants that were hanging on the closet rod above him.  Mitchell was reaching up his arms and kicking his legs, watching the pant legs sway back and forth.

We last saw Papa in June of this year.  We stayed with them for a weekend, it was such a great trip.



When grandparents get to this age, each time you see them, you can't help but wonder if it'll be the last.  We stayed up late, late listening to old stories about how Papa & Granny met, and  about Papa's experiences in the war.  I knew it would be a night that we'd all cherish...so I tried to get a short video of one of Papa's war stories.  He was a cook, so they are asking him what his favorite thing to cook was and about the northern lights.

He'll be truly missed, but we know God was waiting at heaven's gates for his arrival!