Homework Assignment: Make a time like of your life complete with dates and pictures. We received the first project of the year on Friday. I've been asking Andrew for days now to make a list of 15 special events that he might want to put on his timeline. I let him know yesterday I would be able to help him out tonight to pull his ideas into an actual timeline. Being true to form, his page was empty. Frustrated and out of patience I sat him down and asked him what special memories he had so far. Quickly he responded with one word....Papa.
I stopped in my tracks and regained my composure and asked him if he wanted to put all of his memories of him and my dad, papa, into his project. The two of us spent the better part of an hour looking through pictures. There were so many to pick from, we had to narrow them down. Although dad lived a thousand miles away, he was still a central theme in all of our activities. What a great papa he was. Andrew recalled stories and laughed at pictures. We had a great time. As we reached the end on the timeline we were unsure how to end it. He really struggled with putting something for the last picture. We decided to put a copy of his obituary. He drew a cross after that and simply wrote, Papa. He sat and gazed at his timeline and started to tear up. We both agreed the timeline seemed so short, and how we wish it would have gone on forever. We both hugged and had a good cry. I can't help but grieve for the future. I miss my dad so much and I would do anything to have him back. As I sit here in one of his t-shirts, I cant wait to see him again and to hear his voice. I know he's in a better place and his forever has begun.
2 comments:
I think being "Papa" is different than being "Grandpa". There is something special there when the grandparent has a hand-picked name.
I am sure your dad is smiling right now thinking about what a wonderful little boy Andrew is and how well his mom and dad have raised him. What an amazing timeline and tribute.
A
Oh man...I've been sitting here crying myself for the last few minutes reading your latest blog entry (thanks) and still haven't stopped. It makes me miss Dad too! He was the BEST Papa and Dad and it's neat to see he's not forgotten. I can remember some of those pics and can see there are so many fond memories of Dad. I'm so glad Andrew got to spend so many years with Dad and grow to have such a special relationship with him. They were the best of friends! It makes me sad to think my kids won't get the same pleasure of his company (at least here on earth). I'm glad we got to spend the time we had with such an AMAZING dad and I promise to tell my kids about how cool he was and how much they would have loved him too! I wish he could still be here too. Sometimes I think I could just pick up the phone and call him. Like I'd like to tell him we're getting settled into "our" new apartment. He would have liked me being here. It feels safe and I know he would have liked that. I can almost hear him tell me to call him when I get home (from wherever I've been). I saw Roger Staubauch recently in my building and my first thought was it would have been cool to tell Dad. I can still remember telling him I saw Troy Aikman, and him asking me if I asked for his number (you know 'cause it may not work out with he and his wife-his words not mine). I miss him so much!! I miss his spirit and lightheartedness and how much he loved us all!
..Therapeutic blog entry..
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