Tuesday, August 23, 2011

We Miss You Grandpa.

It's been a year since Grandpa Stratton passed away.  He's been on our minds for a few days now, and last night we had a big family get together.  All the cousins (as many as could make it, at least) came to swim then we had a BBQ.  It was fun to be all together, in memory of Grandpa.  After we ate Cassadee had a tape of her interviewing Grandpa about his life and it was such a sweet thing to listen to. It's funny how just hearing his voice made him feel so close and real last night.  I really miss his voice.  And his jokes.  After we listened to the interview for a few minutes we all shared a favorite memory of Grandpa.  Many tears were shed, but it was a fun thing to do.

I shared my gratitude for his love for me.  I was closer to Grandpa Stratton than any of my own grandfathers, so it meant a lot to me that I truly felt like he counted me as one of his own.  He would always tell us girls as he hugged us that he had the prettiest girls in the whole world.  And whenever he said it to me I knew he meant it.  And that he loved me.  I miss that hug.

Marshall was cute.  He would only tell Colby, but he said he remembered Grandpa's big belly.  That just makes me smile.  He also told Colby that he used to think that Grandpa would never die and that he would live forever.  Which is just what Colby thought.  Colby said he always thought as Grandpa as invincible.  I think that's why it has been such a hard thing for Colby to lose his grandpa.  We know we'll see him again, but he was just so much a part of our lives and we really never could have imagined life without him.

It's been a year now.  And as much as the time just flies by, when I think back to when I saw Grandpa last and when I hugged him... it feels like its been so long.  We are very blessed to have all of our grandparents and are so grateful for the families they created that we could be a part of.

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