A Sad Day

I got word yesterday morning from my mom that my gramps was dying. Hospice had stayed all night the night before and was expecting him to pass away within the next 24 hours.

Keith and I woke up this morning at 5am to get ready and leave for the airport for our 7:20am flight. We get to the airport, park the car, go through security and then search for our gate. Our flight isn't on the board. We see a 7:10 flight to Atlanta and figure it must be the one and there is some type of misprint on the TV screen. We ponder what in the world might be up when I look at the ticket again and say to Keith "please tell me this is a different part of our itinerary. This says 7:20 P.M. " We were there twelve hours early. Kendall had a very difficult time with us leaving...cried so much last night and this morning...so was overjoyed we would be back home to see her off to school! Unfortunately, we have to go through the good-bye's all over again.

After two nights of little sleep, I change back into my jammies after Justin left for football camp and Kendall left for school, and crawl into bed for a nap. Now that we are arriving in San Fran at midnight (4a.m. our time), I would be going 24 hours without sleep because I can't sleep sitting up. That is no way to start a sight-seeing trip.

I got a good two hour nap in and then checked my cell phone for an update from my mom or gram. I had a message from my mom and when I returned the call, I learned that my grandpa passed away last night. :-(

While I am happy to know he is in heaven in a body that is young and free of pain, seeing my brother, his parents, all of his life long friends, his son Donnie, and his siblings, I also know how I feel grief over the fact that he isn't here any longer. Magnify that for the grief my gram is feeling over the loss of her husband of 71 years (yes, 71), and what my mom is feeling over the death of her dad- I can't even imagine.

Joseph T Dinsmore was 91 years old. He was the most gentle and kind man. I always referred to him as one of the sweetest men on the planet. He was. I'll never again hear him greet me with " Helloooo, Winnie" (his nickname for me). I'll never hear him pronounce "italian" the way only he can. Or respond his "aaaaaahhh" to my gram when he gets frustrated. Until I join him in heaven, at least. I sure did (still do) love him.