There is a Season

I remember so much about my grandpa. He was a very special soul. He was so happy and a hard worker and would help anyone, anytime. He loved his wife, Felicia, whom he lost to cancer when I was six and he loved his second wife, Charlotte, whom he also lost to cancer a few years ago. I loved how he always made me feel like his favorite grandchild. I’m sure he made each and every grandchild feel as if they were his favorite. He had a way about him.

I never remember him being sick. Only full of life and very active. It’s probably good that I wasn’t able to see him lying in a hospital bed. A couple weeks ago he caught Legionnaire's disease, a nasty type of pneumonia. Now I can only remember him as an active, vibrant man. A favorite memory of him is eating breakfast with him and my grandma in their breakfast nook when I was a little kid. They would make cream of wheat and put maple syrup on it. They had these bowls with flowers on the bottom and they would tell me to “eat down to the flower.” I can remember climbing behind him in the breakfast nook booth and squeezing his neck. He always smelled so good.

I'm thankful that he was able to go to Florida to meet his third great grandchild and I’m so thankful that he was able to make it to my wedding last November. He got to see me so happy and meet my husband. Love you, Grandpa (Irving Alexander, July 16, 1928 - July 2, 2010). We will all miss you so very much.


Have a happy, happy 4th of July and appreciate every moment that you have with family!