faithful...

It is with deep sadness that I tell you this blog has lost one of its most faithful readers.   

And this world has lost one of its most treasured men.

I have lost my sweet Grandpa.

  

Though he lived so healthy, independent and strong for 94 years, 

I am left broken-hearted to think he's now gone.

Though we lived thousands of miles apart, Grandpa felt connected through this blog.

I knew he was reading.  

My eyes fill with tears knowing he's no longer on the other end of these words.

Grandpa was faithful.

Faithful to his wife of almost 50 years.

Faithful to his church for over 70 years.

And faithful to send birthday and Christmas cards, even for 24 years after Grandma went to be with Jesus.

So much of my life can be attributed to him.  

He chose to live with very little materially, and he gave so much of his resources away.

As I look at my children, tears come to my eyes

because with all of the costs of adoption, 

I don't know that we could've done it without him.

When we adopted a black son, I didn't know what he would think.

Transracial adoption can be harder to swallow for older generations.

But he cheered us on the entire way.  

He mailed many typed letters

saying how proud he was of me for adopting Jameson, 

and how he looked up to me for the way 

I want to incorporate Jameson's culture into our family.

I had a fan in Grandpa.  

His love and support, though long distance, 

has been an undercurrent throughout my life.

A kinder man you've never met.  

His mind could recall specific dates and specific amounts from decades past.

He cared about every little detail.

And now He is with Jesus.

I loved Grandpa.  

And I will miss him.