Life Gone On-Even When You Want to Rewind

My Last Visit with Granddad

On Sunday Morning at 2:00 am my Granddad passed away. He wasn't alone, which helped me a lot to know someone was with him. I had my cousins, sister, other family try to call and text me. They tried contacting me via facebook. I had lost my cell phone it wasn't until 8:00 pm-ish Sunday night I found out. I was hit with so many feelings. 

First, mad at myself for not knowing where my cell phone was and thus being inaccessible to everyone else. I was grateful that my sister kept calling and texting, not giving up. (I learned a very important lesson-ALWAYS know where your phone is and make sure it's charged.) 

Next, I was upset with myself. I had planned on going to visit him but I decided to put it off until next week. I was so mad that I had missed a chance to see him because of a lack of gas money, getting a little cold, so I didn't want to give it to him. Char just held me and told me hindsight is 20/20.

I thought there weren't any more family gatherings or such for maybe a few days. Again, miscommunication. There was everything set to go on Monday. I was brokenhearted again. When my sister called and asked "Where are you guys at? Do you know when you're getting here?" I then found that she was at the funeral home- I missed the WHOLE ceremony. I was a heap of sobs on the sofa. I somehow called Char to let him know and somehow sent a few texts to my sister. 

Lucky for me, Char was able to think. He got information from my sister saying how there was going to be a family gathering. Back to heartbreak-gas was too much. Bless my sister, she helped us so we could at least make it there an back. Thanks to her, we could go. We went and got Heidi from daycare at 3:45 and made the drive down. We stopped at my sisters house. Basically, waiting for marching orders and let the kids visit and for Heidi Anne to get all those wiggles out of her.

We did a family round up/ gathering at Grandma Lori's house. We were one of the first ones to the house (apart from Grandma Lori and Oakley). It was nice to just be in the kitchen helping out. Slowly more and more of the family trickled in. We were told how the last 36 hours had been crazy. In 36 hours we lost granddad, had his service, had cleaned up his apartment, got things in order, and were now finally getting to rest, eat, a talk at Grandma Lori's. 

It was wonderful to be surrounded by family. I think one of the best things that came out of all this were the kids. I think they know "Gee, mom and dad aren't smiling-lets make them". So we had 5 kids aged 3, 4,5,6 and 9 dressing up in silly ways to make us laugh. It worked. I am so grateful I was able to go. Grieving alone is no fun at all. 

We left Grandma Lori's around 9:30, just after the last few family members( Aunt Deb and Ted) came in. Oddly, we were the first ones to leave-but we didn't get back home until WELL past midnight. We were joking how this is one of the latest times we've been out since Heidi Anne was born. But after an emotional rollercoaster and many Monsters-The stupidest knock knock joke would have been hilarious.