Here We Go Again. . . .

We received news yesterday morning that my DH's grandfather had passed away. He was 98.
So we will be attending yet another funeral this week. Thankfully, his passing was quick and relatively painless. It would seem he had a massive stroke as he was getting ready to have a bath, and he never regained conciousness. We are so happy for him to be free of the infirmities of a body that has been around for nearly a century, but sorrowful for Grandma who will now be alone. She's also 98. The burden of caring for and checking on her daily will hopefully be shared now by her children and grandchildren who live near her. She's in good health, but I wonder if she will stay around now that her main reason for getting up each day is no longer here.

I don't think I've ever contemplated death as much as I have in the last five weeks. Since President Hinckley passed away and then my grandpa and now DH's grandpa. I ponder on why I feel the need to cry for them, when in each case it has been such a blessing. Guess I've always been a blubberer. Sometimes I'm afraid of death, the process is such an unknown thing and I don't like not knowing how to do things that I have to do. Mostly I'm afraid I won't have done all that I should have or could have or needed to before that day will come. That's the scariest part to me. So I'm really trying harder each day to live better, to love more and to serve more. I am really trying to find out what Heavenly Father expects of me and needs me to do each day and giving my will to him. He's made a much better person out of me than I was doing. Hopefully I still have many years here to prove myself worthy.

I first met DH's grandparents when we were dating and we lived near them when we were first married. Then we moved away and I thought we would likely never really see them again before they would be gone. But after nearly 8 years we moved back to Ut Valley and they were still here. So we decided that we would go to their home once a month for Family Home Evening to give our children the opportunity to get to know them and learn from them. After all, they couldn't be here much longer, they were old. Now it's been nearly 11 years since we moved back and that's a lot of FHE's. I'm so thankful that we have had so many years to share time with them. It has blessed our family and I know they have appreciated the consistent visits.

Grandpa, we'll miss you and your growling at the kids, trying to poke/hook them with your cane, a rousing rendition of I Had a Mule Named Willie, "Where's my left ear?", "Ohh, I can't follow your conversation, so I'll just be quiet."

We LOVE you!