There is a time for everything, a time to be born, and a time to die...

Sorry for the delay in posts. We spent a week in Kansas for my DH's grandfather’s passing. Grandpa had turned ninety back in March (we were down there then, too). He was a hoot of a character, full of old man quirks and generational behaviors. I’ll never forget the time he bellowed, “Hold your horses, Walt!” at his brother. (We were in church at the time. Walt had to have been in his eighties, Grandpa in his seventies.) Grandpa was from the generation that felt a handshake meant more than a signature, and family was more important than careers, money, or politics. (Here’s a picture of DH and Grandpa when we were in Kansas last January.)

Yes, he was old, and had lived a good, long, life, yet, no matter how prepared we are, death is always difficult. Grandpa’s passing has left a void we’ll feel for years to come. But, funerals are also a time of gathering, and in that sense, we had a wonderful time visiting with family, friends, old acquaintances, and new ones. There was also plenty of story telling—some we’d heard before, some we hadn’t—especially one about Grandma and Grandpa when they were young. They were newly married and lived in a house that didn’t have any water. Grandpa had to haul water for them from his parents’ farm a few miles away. It seems Grandpa got ‘detained’ at his parents’ house, and by the time he returned with the water, Grandma was very angry—to the point she threw eggs at him. Grandpa later declared she threw over three dozen eggs at him, and hit him with everyone. (I might have to use that story in a book at some point.) There were five generations at the gatherings, a fact Grandpa would have been very proud of.

On our trek home, we purposely went through Wichita to see my aunt. She laid out a feast for our arrival which included homemade lemon meringue pie. After a week of restaurant eating, I can only hope she believed how truly refreshing and special her meal was. It was wonderful to see her and her family, and the visit was an energizing break during the long journey home. I can’t complain, though, my little car practically drives itself since it knows the roads so well. I’ve only had her two years, and she was in storage for 6 months of each of those years, and I’ve put over 30,000 miles on her—the majority has been trips to Kansas.

We’ve been busy playing catch-up since arriving home, and this weekend is filled with previously planned activities. I hope you all are enjoying the transition into autumn, and are finding the time to embrace the change of seasons.

Next week I’ll share Cody’s Angel story with you…it’s remarkable.