Grandpa’s Love

This past Sunday marked the 7^th year since my grandpa Broadway passed away. Grandpa was always so healthy and never sick. The only time he really visited the doctor was to have surgery on his shoulder. When we were told that Grandpa suffered from a severe brain aneurism, we were shocked. He slowly began on the road to recovery but suddenly took a turn for the worse. The doctors suspected that Grandpa suffered from another brain aneurism. His body was already fighting hard to recover from the 1^st one, that he didn’t have enough strength to recover from the 2^nd. 

Getting things ready for the wedding, I have been going through several pictures and come across several that instantly bring back so many memories of Grandpa.

* his fake teeth – He LOVED scaring all of us kids with those things! I remember one year we got him a new pair of teeth, that looked identical to his original pair, but instead they were made out of chocolate! :)

* eating chap stick – every year Grandma would hang tiny stockings on the fireplace mantel for each of the grandchildren. Each one had $$$$ in it and a few had chap sticks in them for us girls. :) Grandpa was being a snoop and decided to check out the stockings. He came across the chap stick. He opened one up to smell it and said it smelled good, so he took a bite, thinking it was CANDY!? Gross!

*Red Flannel – I can still see Grandpa lounging around on the couch in his red flannel button down shirts and old rugged faded jeans. That was his day to day attire. I love snuggling up in my flannel blankets. It helps me remember Grandpa each time! :)

*Gaither Homecomings – This one makes me laugh. Ya know those shows on channel 11 on Saturday evenings?? The Gaither Gospel Hour or the Gaither Homecoming?? Yea, Grandpa watched those all the time! He even had the video tapes. I used to always laugh because my dad now does the same thing, but now that I’m out of the house, whenever I go home to visit and Dad starts watching the Gaither Gospel Hour, I instantly remember Grandpa doing the same thing. Like father like son. :)

*Broadway farm – I loved visiting the Broadway farm up in Wisconsin. We always went exploring in the big red barn. We played up in the hay mound. During 4^th of July weekends we would sit up on the hill by the barn and watch the fireworks from town off in the distance. We had numerous rides with Grandpa on the tractor. We could help feed the cows. We would watch the corn crib slowly empty throughout the year. Took all the trash out to the burn barrel to fill it up so we could watch it burn. And if we were lucky, we would get to watch the huge combine harvest all the peas in the field next to the house.

*horses – for as long as I can remember, Grandpa had always had big Belgian horses. Several times, I sat inside the window on the south side of the house and just watched him do the chores, because I was always too scared the horses would crush me! As I grew older I became braver and remember helping him feed the horses once they were inside the barn. Once I gave them their hay, I would sit there and pet their soft velvet noses. Grandpa competed numerous times in horse pulls and always did very well. All the horse trophies and plaques that were in the house were there to prove it. :) He also loved to take the whole family on sleigh/wagon rides. We would get together around Christmas time to open presents and as soon as that was over, we would all bundle up and pack onto the big sleigh or red wagon. I always loved when it would snow while we were on the wagon because it made me imagine that I was a part of one of those Christmas movies. :)

But the one memory I love the most, is Grandpa’s good ole chocolate malts. A visit up to the Broadway farm was never complete without at least one night of Grandpa making his homemade chocolate malts! They were always SOOO good! I can never make them like he did!

As I think of all these memories, I can’t help but think about the fact that Grandpa won’t be there on my big day. He won’t be there to watch his son walk me down the aisle. He won’t be there to help me celebrate. He won’t be there to welcome Andrew into the family. He won’t be there to make me laugh using his fake teeth. He won’t be there to wipe away my tears. He won’t be there to hug me tight.…..

But instead Grandpa will be looking down from heaven. He’ll be celebrating with the One that brought Andrew and I together. As much as I’d love to have him here with me, I can’t wish him to be anywhere else, but with the One he loved the most! Love you and miss you Grandpa! Can’t wait to see you again!