Our Papa

Our Papa Earl passed away today.  On Thursday my dad called me and said Papa wasn't doing well.......he hasn't been for quite some time.....he was in-home hospice care and it would be any day now.  I said keep me posted......we hung up.  At lunch I told Garrett and he said if I needed to go home....go, he and the kiddos would be fine for the weekend.  My initial thought was no, there's nothing I can do....I'll just wait for the phone call.  But as the day went on I felt a tap on my shoulder and a whisper in my ear.....that is the selfish response, it said.  go. go. go.   Hold Grandma, kiss Papa's head, and stand with your family.  The desire to go home was burning in me.  We have been blessed with the proximity of a days drive home {470miles}....don't waste it.  So I told Garrett I wanted to go home and called my dad and said I was on my way asap.  Garrett was able to pretty much take Friday off and I was on the road by 11am.  There by 6pm.

      

{High school photo}

Papa was such a strong man.  Even until his last breath.  He told stories.  I am going to miss those stories.  Most of the stories he would tell us grand kids seemed to be about Grandma.  He adored Grandma.  And no one could make her blush and giggle like a school-girl more than Papa.  I would watch them as a young girl and hear her say 'oh dad!' as she waved her hand....and he with a twinkle in his eye......and knew what they had was special.  so so special.  I loved hearing him talk about coming back from the War and working at a feed store.  Every morning he would see Grandma pass by on the {high} school bus and they would share a glance...a smile...maybe a wink.  And he made it his mission to meet her...date her....marry her.  

He loved his family.  He loved having his family around him.

{Papa meeting his first great-grandbaby for the first time; Kayla 3 months old.}

{Kayla, 4 months old...chewing on Papa's hand}

{photos taken this summer 2012}

Papa Earl.....89 years old.  A devoted husband for 64 years.  Survived by 4 loving kiddos, 7 awesome grandkiddos and 6 of the cutest great-grandkiddos there ever were.

We love you Papa.  We will miss you Papa.  You are forever in our hearts.  

I am so extremely thankful for this last weekend I had with him; and to be with the rest of my family.