Goodbye, Papa

You know that heavy heart I keep talking about? Well, it's hit rock bottom, I think.

Tonight, I got a phone call around 10:30. My ex-husband's grandfather passed away this evening. He has had leukemia for a couple of years, and has been struggling. He was weak and tired. He died in his sleep, peaceful and straight into the arms of Jesus. Papa was ready, I have no doubt. He loved God and it showed in his life and his personality. After my ex-husband and I divorced, his family never treated me any differently. Grannie and Papa were still Grannie and Papa, it didn't matter if our last names were the same or different. Papa had 11 grandchildren, and six of them were adopted. He was a special person; his heart was filled with love.

Like my Grandaddy, Papa loved to tell stories and wrote a lot of books about his life. He always had a story if you'd listen. Papa loved pulling little packs of Wrigley's gum out of the kids' ears; Leyden always had a pack of gum when she came home from seeing Papa. Papa loved each grandchild and each great-grandchild like they were the only one he had. They were all special to him, and he had plenty of love to go around.

This great patriarch will be missed terribly. His legacy lives on in those he loved so dearly.