Grandpas
I’ve been thinking and journaling about my grandfathers lately — one a carpenter, one a newspaper publisher. All these decades later and they still are a nurturing “presence” in my life.
Diane and I were at Cook’s Children’s Hospital again with Megan. She’d been airlifted from Abilene. She was pale and weak. Her little wrists had been gently tied to the sides of the bed by the nurses to keep her from pulling tubes out and to keep her from trying to get out of the bed.
My parents drove in from Missouri. When my dad walked in, she lit up and whispered, “Pa-Pa!”
The doctor said, “I believe this little girl wants to see her Pa-Pa.” He asked the nurse to let her out of bed. She sat on his lap the rest of that afternoon.
Sometimes only a grandpa (or grandma) will do. . . . Anyone know what I mean?
I’m 32 and sometimes all I want to do is sit on my grandpa’s lap for a whole afternoon. Who can ever get over a place that is loving, safe, and secure?
I’m 31. My maternal great granddad was the only grandpa I’d ever really known; he was Pa Pa to me, too. My dad’s dad had died when my dad was just a boy and my mother’s dad died when I was young. Pa Pa, though, was always there. He taught me to use a hooey stick and showed me how to hold a chicken. He had cancer 4x and beat it every time. I had an unarticulated half-belief that he was immortal after that.
He died when I was 24. He was tired; we knew he was near the end when he said he missed Noni (his nickname for my great grandmother, Mary Agnes).
I still miss him.
How cool that must have been for Pa Pa!
Being “Pappy” is unlike anything I have ever experienced. I never had a grandfather so being one is extra special to me. The other night my almost 2 year old granddaughter was showing off her knowledge of her letters. When got to the letter P she said “P, that’s Pappy.” That is priceless. You can describe what its like to be a grandparent but only another grandparent can really understand. I am now watching a little grandson grow up along side his sister. What joy.
Made me cry–in a good way. Both of my children adore my father, and he adores them. My children are also blessed to have a great-grandfather who has a fabulous lap as well (and he lets them play with his cane). It is a wonderful thing to have people who love your children as much as you do. Beautiful picture of Megan and her papa. The looks they are both giving each other–oops! I’m crying again
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I love both my grandpas – one of whom passed away when I was 16, one of whom is still living. Kind, loving, faithful, hardworking men, both of them. And my grandmas are equally wonderful. Great post, Mike.
Mike, I’m new to this grandfather stuff, but after two weeks I’ve decided I really like it.
What a wonderful expereince and blessing being a grandparent is! We have 4 grandchildren now and I’m enjoying every minute of it. Neither of my grandfathers were particulary admirable men. Neither were Christians and both were alcoholics. I always envied some of my friends who had grandfathers that spent time with them and were great role models as my Dad has been to my kids. What a joy being “Pop” has been!
An older man told me when I first became a grandparent that the reason grandparents and grandkids get along so well is that they have a common enemy. Might be some some truth to that. He was joking-sort of
He was always ‘Granddad’ to me – quiet, deep-voiced, and almost Santa Claus in appearance. Not a person that knew him could remember a time he ever raised his voice in anger at anyone. His hugs enveloped me in the sweetest love imaginable and I still miss him through these 5 decades since he went to his Savior, a Savior he loved with all his heart, soul, and might! Oh, how I loved him and still love him to this day. How I wish my kids could have known him. What a loving, gentle grandpa he was. That love still lives in my heart. Thank You, LORD for my Granddad!! And for granting him life with You for eternity!! Amen. o/
oops! Like Jaime – tears have arrived, I miss him so much.
Yes, I know what you mean but it’s even better to experience the thrill of being a Grandpa. I loved my grandparents and remember the security I felt in their presence. But there is no comparison to my delight that my grandchildren want to be with me because they know they are safe.
We moved to Abilene just to be near our first grandchildren. I had decided that I didnt want to just see our grandkids once or twice a year because we lived 1500 miles away. So we moved. It was the best move ever. We got to be part of their lives that gave us joy. We really knew our grandkids and have many Kodak moments. One was being told that the song a granddaughter and grandpa were singing together “makes my bottom wiggle”.
You made me cry…I still miss my grandparents…strong, Godly people who helped instill faith in me. As much as I wanted to be a mother…to have my own family, now in the grandparent stage of life, I understand why my Grandad Layton often said, “You haven’t lived until you’ve had grandchildren!” There’s a special bond…many times I see my child in the grandchildren…it’s a wonderful time of life, and I pray God lets me live to see these precious grandchildren come to faith and begin their walk with Him.
I’m a good friend of your daughter in law…. when I saw this sweet picture, it reminded me of Reese!