Eternity

My grandparents were married for almost 70 years......it makes so much sense to me that my sweet grandpa only lingered on this earth for twenty days after his companion had left his side.

Eternity was waiting, and he was ready to enjoy it!

My memories of my grandfather are filled with a sense of awe.  

Oh sure, as a kid he was the "tickle grandpa" who never missed a chance to snag our arms deliver the ultimate tease of an "indian burn". 

I remember his massive garden filled with TONS of produce, towering sunflowers, and littered with sun bleached apricot pits.

But, as I've grown older and learned more about who he really was....I can't help but be amazed that I am part of his gene pool.

His life was like an adventure book!

He supported his family after his father's death doing hard labor in the sugar beet fields.  He joined the navy as soon as he legally could (even tried to sneak in before that) and spent hours teaching himself morse code, and setting goals to become a pilot.

He finished his college degree in TWO YEARS 

(that's right, 30 hours a semester) 

because the Navy would only pay for two years and then after that he was on his own......so he just did it on two years! 

HA!

Oh, yeah, and while he was doing that he built a house for my great grandmother in town so she could have electricity and running water!

Seriously?

I could go on.....he truly was amazing...

...but what I think is the most amazing thing about my grandpa, is that he taught me the importance of family, hard work, and perseverance.  

He was a "real life" pioneer in my eyes.  

Whenever I feel myself start to whine about how hard life is or how difficult something is.  

I can see him in my minds eye with that small little Grandpa Red smirk. 

 "You can do this.......just buckle down and do it!"

I love you Grandpa!

I know you two are so happy to be together again.