Flashback Friday: Granny and Popa

 This last week or so has really had me thinking about my Granny and Popa. I lost my Popa in December 2004 and my Granny in July 2005.

They were two of my most favorite people in the world. Well... truthfully, I don't remember my Popa being one of my favorites, but my mom tells me that he was my favorite when I was little... I believe her. For as long as I can remember Popa was cranky and kind of scary. lol Granny was a sweet soft spoken woman, but if you had even seen these two together you would know that SHE was the one who was really in charge. We always knew that Granny was the one you went to if you wanted anything.

The death of my Popa hit me harder then I ever thought it would. I spent so much time with him in his last few days. I remember the week before he died him, my sister, and my step-grandpa were all in the same hospital at the same time on differen't floors. What a crazy time that was. I would leave my Granny and Popa's house in the middle of the night to go sit with Popa and just talk to him. Some times I would just sit there and hold his hand. It was during one of those nights that he told me he loved me for the last time and for the first time I could ever remember. That brought tears to my eyes and to this day I get a little emotional when I replay that memory.

My Granny's death was hard, but not as hard as Popa's. We were ready for her to go... she died of a broken heart. The death certificate says "Failure to thrive"... she started going down hill after Popa died. My mom and I took care of her for 2 months after he passed and then we decided to put her into assisted living. She was in there until about a week before she died. At that point we needed to move her to a place where she could get more personal care. The day before she died the adult foster home she was in called me and asked if I would come try to feed her because she wasn't eating. So, Josh and I drove out there and she got to meet him for the first and only time. It's because of her that I refuse to give up on him no matter what happens with us. When we got there she looked at me and then looked at Josh. Then she looked at me with that questioning look on her face so I told her "Granny, this is my boyfriend Josh.". She looked back at him and then back at me and SMILED. My Granny approved... she knew that Josh was the one. After all, she would know. She was married to my Popa for 50 years after only knowing him for 3 months. When you look up true love their picture SHOULD be next to it. lol The next day she returned to the loving arms of my Popa.

Josh and I are planning our wedding. We will be getting married on August 28, 2011... my Granny and Popa's 57th wedding anniversary. I get emotional just thinking about it. What a great day for us to claim as ours... A day for us to be happy and remember a love so deep that it inspired me to love so deeply with all my heart. A love so powerful you would think it only happens in fairy tails.

Granny and Popa's wedding picture.