My Grandpa

I have been very lucky to have gone twenty seven years without the death of a close loved one touching my life, and am not really sure how to process this now. During the past week I think I've not only been trying to deal with my grandpas death, but trying to deal with the fact that I'll never see my papa in his chair at family functions again, I'll never look over and see him grinning at my grandma without her knowing it again, and I'll never hear his standard "hi sugar" again in this life. My grandpa made an amazing impact on my life, and I would not be who or where I am today without his love support and encouragement.
This is a bitter sweet time for me, because I am so glad that he is no longer in pain, but he has been a rock and a solid fixture in my life since the beginning, and I don't know what to do without him now. I am focusing on the positive. I know that he is learning all kinds of amazing things now, whether he wants to or not :). I am thankful to have had him as my papa for as long as I did. For our inside jokes, for our shared love of food, and for him always letting me know how important I was to him. Mostly I am thankful to have been blessed with such a great man who filled my childhood with happiness and fond memories. Thank you papa, I love you.