Both Grandpas in Heaven

Our dear sweet Grandpa A went to heaven on Saturday. He was such a trooper, battling Parkinson's for 18 years. Ever so slowly losing the ability to walk and even talk, spending his last 20 months in a nursing home. But he never let it win. His gentle and kind spirit always won out. Even in the final stages, he would eek out a smile or eye twinkle for those he loved.

My favorite Jim story took place when I was pregnant with Hadley. It may have even been the weekend of her baby shower in Poplar (pictured below: my dad, Kyle, and Jim that weekend). We were eating dinner that evening, and somehow it was just the two of us at the table for a moment. He put his big hand over mine and said, "I heard you are planning to stay home once the baby is born. I didn't know that, but that makes me so happy." And when I looked up to thank him, his eyes were brimming with tears. I always, always felt love from Jim, but at that moment I felt like I was one of his own.

I won't lie. This has already been a difficult fall. But, thinking about my dad and now Kyle's dad being in heaven together, well that is something pretty special. We might not have dads on earth anymore, but we know without a shadow of a doubt they are both happy and healthy and no longer suffering in heaven. We like to imagine that they'll get to fish or hunt or play ball together; this especially makes the girls happy :). We are going to keep looking for JOY, as we know they are both experiencing unspeakable joy with Jesus.