Thanksgiving

We all have so much to be thankful for. Today and everyday I'm thankful for my amazing grandparents.

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving with Eric's family. We all had a great day at his grandmother's house. Our kids had so much fun playing outside and enjoying family. This past weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. It was our first year to have Thanksgiving without my precious Papa. We had a great day and shared so much love, but his absence was felt by all. My Papa was such an amazing man. He was a man who never wanted for anything. My Papa was a hard working man who wasn't afraid to use his hands, get dirty, and work sun up until sun down. He would tell stories about his childhood that seemed so unreal. (I look forward to sharing those here as time goes on. He could keep us entertained for hours with his childhood stories.) He was one of 13 brothers and sisters. Can you imagine? Thirteen kids!! Life was so different for them back then though. My Papa would pick cotton, milk a cow before school, and took care of his younger siblings all at the age of seven years old. When he was 70 years old he could still cut and split fire wood faster and better than any 20 year old young man around. Papa was very simple and didn't need much to get by. He had his priorities in order and didn't stray from them. He was a man who worshiped God, loved his wife and family, and gave to others the best he could. On any given day you could find Papa sitting on the back porch, watching his cows graze, humming an old gospel song. He drank coffee all day long with just a splash of Pet Milk . He always greeted us with a bright smile when we visited him and a "Y'all don't have to run off" when we were getting ready to leave. He was the ultimate example of what I feel God wants us to be on a daily basis. My Papa loved Brody with everything he had. He was Papa's "best buddy" and everyone around knew Papa thought Brody did no wrong. Brody was the last great-grand child born, so Papa took it upon himself to make sure the last one was the most spoiled. Brody and Papa had a bond that was so special. When Papa started getting sick he would have tremors in his arm. Brody saw Papa have one of these spells before anyone else did but just kept it to himself. When this started happening more often Brody told us, "Papa has been shaking like that for awhile." These two were the best of buddies. Eric and I tried very hard to prepare Brody for the day Papa passed away. How do you really prepare a six year old for this though? It was amazing to see how God worked it all out, and Brody handled it better than all of us. Brody was happy for Papa when he passed away. He knew Papa was going to Heaven and would be in such a better place than here on Earth hurting. He writes notes to Papa often, sends balloons to him now and then, and talks about Papa daily. Brody viewed Papa's death like we all should view death of loved ones. Content and happy for him to be meeting Jesus. Papa left a legacy that is so much greater than any amount of money or possessions. I often ask myself, "When I die will I have left a legacy as great as my Papa and Granny?" They have loved and given more than anyone else in my life. They are the example of what a marriage looks like. They are the ultimate examples of always Loving on Borrowed Time.