I'll Be Back Soon...

Things have been insanely crazy around here lately, and to be honest I haven't been giving blogging a second thought. Occasionally the thought that I need to get on here and do a post creeps in and I start to feel guilty, but I'm going through some pretty heavy stuff in my "real" life right now. Sometimes you just need to live life and not worry about the little things, so that's what I've been doing.

Yesterday morning my Granddaddy, my mom's dad, passed away. It was something we knew was probably coming soon, and have been aware of that fact for a few years now. So even though I was "prepared", it still is absolutely heart-wrenching to lose someone who means the world to you and has been there since day one.

On Thursday morning my mom called me crying and let me know that Granddaddy was being sent home and that the doctors had said he probably had just a day or two. She was in Arizona on vacation, and was so worried she wouldn't make it back in time to say goodbye. I left work as quickly as I could, ran home, booked her a flight for just a few hours later, and packed up. I left for Oklahoma as soon as Arsen got home from work, and my dad and I picked her up at the airport around 10 PM. She and I went to see Granddaddy then, and we got there around midnight. If I've ever been thankful for anything, it's that I pushed her to fly home and that we went to see him as soon as we could. He wasn't completely coherent, and he was saying some repetitive things, like "Take me home", that let me know that he wasn't sure where he was. But he was able to acknowledge what I was saying to him and he knew I was there. By the next day, he was in and out of consciousness, so I will always be so thankful that I had those last few moments with him able to respond to me.

Sunday afternoon Arsen and I had to head back to Texas, and telling my sweet Granddaddy goodbye might have been one of the toughest things I've ever had to do. His breathing was very labored and irregular, and for the most part his eyes were shut. I got the chance to sit with him for a few minutes before I left and tell him all of the things I wanted him to know, how much I loved him and how wonderful of a grandfather he was. I hope that he was able to hear me.

Needless to say, I may not be checking in much for the next few days. I'm leaving for Oklahoma in the morning to go be with my family, and the funeral will be Friday. When things like this happen in life, it just reminds you to take a step back and appreciate what you have. Hug your husband a little tighter, let the little things go...call your parents and tell them you love them and how much you appreciate them. Life is short....embrace your blessings while you can.

My Sweet Grandmother and Granddaddy