It has been two weeks since the last time I sat down to write a blog post. A lot has happened. I wish that I could say that it has been a lot of exciting things, but it hasn’t.
The last time I was here, we had just visited the apple orchard. We had also gone to see my father-in-law while he was in the hospital. He had been in the hospital for quite a while, and was transitioned to one closer to home. He was supposed to be doing some physical therapy to get stronger and be back at home.
To make a long story short, he had to be transferred to a different hospital because he was getting worse. Then, very suddenly, things got really bad. He passed away 25 minutes after his 80th birthday had ended.
There is some beauty in something so heartbreaking. We got the opportunity to say goodbye. Because he was in the hospital, his condition could be seen. It was obvious when the end was nearing and we got the chance to tell him how much we loved him. Chloe, Addi, and Harper sang him happy birthday for a video I took. I was able to play it in his ear so he could hear Chloe’s “I love you, Papa. You’re the best papa ever!!” at the end.
Most people have asked how the girls are handling it, so I will answer that they are doing pretty well. They still aren’t old enough to fully grasp it all. Is anyone? Addi is having the hardest time, because Papa was her buddy. She had plans to save her chocolate candy from Halloween for him, because Papa loved his sweets. She realized that he won’t be there to celebrate her birthday with her next month.
Something that some of Jim’s grandsons and I were talking about after the funeral was the way that Jim lived. If you could see all of the pictures from throughout his life, you would get a good picture of the man we loved. He lived fearlessly. He didn’t care at all what anyone thought about him. He wasn’t afraid to do silly things. He just put his whole self into whatever he was doing. He made sure to pull you in and make sure that you were having a good time also.
There was a trip that Scott and I were gifted when Chloe was a baby. It was a stay in a condo on Myrtle Beach. We were still fairly young. You had to be 25 to rent a condo like this. So, we called up Jim and Denise and asked if they wanted to come along. Denise had to work, but Jim was free (ah, retirement). We got to spend a week with him making memories. We knew it was a blessing to get that time, but never realized just how much.
I have learned something over the past week. It may be silly, but it seems to be significant to so many people. Take the picture!!! I was usually sneaking around taking pictures of Jim with the girls. He was always playing with them. Always. He didn’t like to pose for pictures- most people don’t. I remember taking the picture of Scott and his dad on the beach. Neither of them wanted to do it, but I made them anyway. haha! There are so many people saying that they wished they had more pictures. More important is the just make the memories in the first place. Pictures will eventually fade and can be destroyed. The memories can’t. Tell people how much they mean to you while they are still here.
Jim had 80 full years of life. He has certainly left a large hole here on earth. We all appreciate the prayers and love that we have already been shown. Please continue praying as everyone continues to grieve this loss.
1 Thessalonians 4:11
