We Lost Our Dear Papa Harold This Week : (

My girls have grown up with basically only one grandparent. My dad died when I was in high school, and my mother died when C was only 2 months old. Their dad's mother died last year, but was never in their lives. However, their dad's father has been always been there for the girls. Papa Harold ALWAYS brought laughter to our lives with his never-ending supply of one-liner jokes, and he ALWAYS was concerned about us all. I never had a conversation with him where he didn't ask, "Do the girls have enough to eat?" "Do the dogs have enough to eat?" "Do you need anything?" There was never a time we stopped and saw him where he didn't give the girls a dollar or two, or five. Papa loved to fish, or even just to go sit out by the river enjoying nature. He loved to make people smile and laugh. He loved his grandchildren.

Little E especially loved him, and wrote him a letter Monday afternoon. Not an hour after we had mailed it, Danny called, and told me he was taking Papa to the doctor. The doctor sent him via ambulance to the local hospital, and the local hospital transferred him to a larger hospital. His condition continued worsening as Monday evening progressed. The girls and I decided to cancel school Tuesday so we could go see him, but sadly, Papa Harold died at 3:32 Tuesday morning.

Although this man was my EX father-in-law, he was a father to me the past 15 years. Not only will the girls miss him, but I will too. The last time I spoke to him was just 6 days ago, and as always, we finished by saying, "I love you." I DID love him, and he will be missed by all of us!

This photo is the most recent one taken of him....only a couple of weeks ago. It is typical of Harold....he is wearing a silly St. Patrick's day hat, while waiting in line at the store.

C This Week....

I am especially proud of C this week. Tuesday, her older sister wanted me to go to her first official prenatal doctor's appointment. C didn't want to go, and since she was recently given a cell phone, I let her stay home. The appointment ended up being 3 hours long. (lots of waiting room time) When I got home, C had done all her chores, all her school work, and even cleaned the microwave. She has worked hard on all her schoolwork, getting it done early to be outside enjoying the beautiful weather we've had all week. (70's and 80's in MARCH!) She and E have spent a few of these nice days practicing softball...the annual signups begin this weekend.

Now...anyone who knows C or reads this blog (back when I had a computer and could write regularly) knows C detests writing. She detests it on any level. So imagine my shock yesterday when she woke up, and handed me a paper. She said, "I felt like writing last night after bedtime, so will you read this and tell me what you think?" On her own, not as an assignemtn, just because she "felt like it", C wrote a rough draft, AND a revision, of a very well organized, well-written, informative, grammatically perfect ESSAY. It was titled, "Pennington", and was a very complete informative essay about her favorite cat at the animal shelter we work at. I had no idea she was even writing anything! She even drew and colored a picture of the cat to go along with the page and a half essay.

Now, some of you have children that like to write. *I* was a child that liked to write. I've always enjoyed writing. But I never thought I'd see the day when C would take the initiative to write anything, let alone something that was so well done. So, I am very pleased this week with C's overall attitude and hard work.

I Am Going To Be A GRANDMA : )

I found out this morning that my oldest daughter, April, is expecting her first child in early November. I am so excited and happy!