goodbye

my grandpa passed away last night. one day after maizie's birthday, and one day before my aunt leann's. my heart is aching so much. there are times that i feel like weeping but i cant because of where i am,or i have maizie. my mom left this morning to be with my grandma.

my grandpa was a great man. he always took care of his family, and worked hard. the things i remember most though are the family dinners we would have in their house in las vegas. he was an amazing carpenter. he helped build the chapel that my family went to church in for years. he would also build things for us grand kids for christmas. (which was no easy task since there are like 40+ of us) i remember sitting on his lap and him teasing me with his dentures, its a fuzzy memory so i cant give details. he would make caramel popcorn, and milk shakes. he taught me how to play yahtzee, and rummy. i loved going into his woodshop, the smell of the lumber was intoxicating. i remember thinking that my grandpa was tough, that he would always be here because nothing could hurt him. even as an adult i still had this belief and its hard to accept that he is gone.

grandpa battled parkinsons disease for decades, (this my be why i always thought of him as tough, he always put up a good fight), and in the last few years has had balance problems. last week he fell and broke some ribs. as a result he was hospitalized had surgery, and had a good prognosis. but when it came time to come back to us he didnt. i will miss him dearly, and will always be grateful for the example he is to me.

may he rest in peace, william walter newell sanders.