IN LOVING MEMORY

THIS BLOG IS IN DEDICATION TO MY GRANDFATHER. HE WAS BORN ON THIS DAY ~ MARCH 28 1930~ HE PASSED AWAY AUGUST 30 2008. ITS HARD TO BELIEVE ITS BEEN 2 YRS SINCE I TALKED TO HIM. OUR LAST CONVERSATION WAS ONE OF THE BEST EVER HAD. AND I WAS SITTING IN A SWING NEXT TO OUR POND, WITH THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CLOUDS OVER ME. ALMOST LIKE FLOATING FLUFFY ANGLES.. WE LAUGHED AND HAD A LONG CONVERSATION THAT I LOVE TO REMEMBER THAT IS FOREVER STAMPED ON MY HEART. IT FEELS NICE TO KNOW THAT I TOLD HIM I LOVED HIM JUST A DAY BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY. I MISS HIM TERRIBLY. FAMILY WAS EVERYTHING TO HIM. MY GRANDPARENTS RAISED ME ALL MY LIFE. MY GRAMPA WAS STRONG, SMART, FUNNY AND MOST OF ALL LOYAL. HE ALWAYS LOVED ME. HE ALSO LET ME GET AWAY WITH MORE. I HAVE SO MANY GOOD MEMORIES OF MY CHILDHOOD BECAUSE OF HIM. AS I SIT HERE AND REALLY PUT THOUGHT INTO WHAT I AM WRITING, TEARS FILL MY EYES. I HATE NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK TO HIM OR EVER TOUCH HIM. I KNOW ITS NOT FOREVER. WE WILL SEE EACH OTHER AGAIN. I KNOW IT WITHOUT A DOUBT. I STILL FEEL HIM AROUND ME. I HEARD HIM WHISTLING A WEEK OR SO AGO, AND I AM ALWAYS TALKING TO HIM. WHAT A GOOD MAN. HE DID HAVE A TEMPER BUT IT USUALLY WASN'T AT ME. IT WAS PROTECTING AND FIGHTING FOR ME OR SOMEONE ELSE IN THE FAMILY. HE WAS A GREAT FATHER. I HAD 2 MOMS AND 2 DADS AND A COUPLE STEP PARENTS ALL MY LIFE. I AM LUCKY THAT WAY. DIDN'T REALIZE IT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER BUT I REALIZE IT NOW. I WANTED TO SHARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES IN MEMORY OF HIM.

HE IS 17 YEARS OLD IN THIS PICTURE

HE LOVED THE MARINES. HE FOUGHT IN THE KOREA WAR. HE WAS ALWAYS PROUD.

THIS WAS THE MARRIAGE PICTURE FOR HIM AND MY GRANDMOTHER. THEY WERE MARRIED FOR OVER 50 YEARS. I LOVE IT.

HE WAS ALWAYS FUNNY. ALWAYS JOKING AROUND WITH EVERYONE.

HE AGED GRACEFULLY

I HOPE WHERE EVER HE IS RIGHT NOW HE IS HAPPY AND PROUD TO KNOW THAT I AM MORE DEDICATED TO MY FAMILY BECAUSE OF HIM. HE SHOWED ME THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY, LOYALTY, AND LOVE. HE WAS ALWAYS STRONG AND LOVING AT THE SAME TIME. HE TAUGHT ME THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING MYSELF, QUESTIONING EVERYTHING, AND HAVING MY OWN VOICE. HE ALWAYS STOOD UP FOR ME. EVEN WHEN I WAS WRONG, HE WAS BY MY SIDE. MAYBE THIS IS WHY I ENDED UP LIVING WITH MY GRANDPARENTS. TO SHOW ME WHAT LOYALITY IS AND TO GIVE ME MEMORIES AND LOVE THAT WILL LAST NOT ONLY IN THIS LIFETIME BUT FOREVER IN MY SOUL. MY GRANDFATHER ALWAYS WAS PROUD OF HIS FAMILY. HE WAS PROUD THAT YOU COULD TRACE OUR ANCESTORS 250 YEARS STRONG. HE WAS A PROUD FRENCH MAN. IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO HIM TO KNOW WHERE HE CAME FROM. HOW WE GOT HERE TO THIS COUNTRY AND WHAT OUR FAMILY DID. WHAT THEY STOOD FOR. HE ALWAYS USE TO TELL ME IF YOU LOOK DEEPLY INTO THE PALM OF YOUR HAND, YOU WILL SEE YOUR PARENTS AND ALL GENERATIONS OF YOUR ANCESTORS. ALL OF THEM ARE ALIVE IN THIS MOMENT. EACH IS PRESENT IN YOUR BODY. YOU ARE THE CONTINUATION OF EACH OF THESE PEOPLE. SO WHEN I FOREVER LOOK DOWN AT MY HAND, I WILL REMEMBER YOU DAD. I LOVE YOU. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I CANT WAIT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

LOVE, KISHA