For the Love of a Grampa...

At the Tw in's 4th Birthday Party I had a confrontation with my Pops. He was in a considerable amount of pain and Ga be was excited and came running down the hallway of their house. (Where the party was being held) Pops had told Ga be prior to this incident not to run. Pops then lost it. He started screaming at Ga be like a rabid animal. Least to say I did not take to kindly to that. I walked Ga be back to the playroom where be started bawling that Grampa screamed at him. I told Ga be that I was going to shut the door and he needed to stay in that room until *I* came back to get him. I shut the door and walked down the hallway to the living room. During those 30 (or so) steps I saw more and more red. The closer I got to the Living room the more insanely furious I got. By the time I got down to the living the only thing I could see was red. LITERALLY that was what I saw. I very calmly started with, "If you evER SCREAM LIKE THAT AT MY KIDS AGAIN I WILL KNOCK YOU THROUGH THAT *UCKING WALL!" By the time I finished that sentence I was yelling. We had a HUGE yelling match and he left for the next door apartment which was very wise because I could literally feel myself getting so mad that I could do physical harm to him. (And at the time he was still in really bad shape from the accident)

My mom was furious with him. She was in the back bathroom and could hear him as plain as day. After the party he tried to bring up the subject to my mom and she gave him hell. A few days later he called me and asked me to come over to talk. So I did. We had a LONG talk that day and a lot of this came out into the open.

Prior to Pops accident he was always too busy to really enjoy his grandchildren. Since his accident he has learned to appreciate the fact that the accident has made him slow down and take time with the kids.

Since that day that we had our talk I have watched Pops morph into an AWESOME Grampa. I had an awesome grampa and always wanted one for my kids. Monday I realized that my kids were fortunate to have a grampa like I had.

While we were on vacation Pops decided to watch a show on the Presidents. He took the time to teach the kids about each president. He watched the kids expressions during the shows at Disney. Monday my mom and I were going to go to the Greenhouse with the kids. Grampa asked me if he could instead keep the (potty trained) children. When I went to pick the kids up he asked me to bring them back today so that they could finish working on their project. Their project entails refinishing an old Radio Flyer Wagon. Yesterday while he was watching the kids Ga be sustained a burn to his left forefinger and thumb. Grampa treated it properly and had Ga be all settled by the time I got home. He cuddles with the kids on the couch and watches movies with them, he is constantly teaching them stuff, wrestles on the floor with the kids. He is so patient and loving with them and they adore him. He offers and constantly asks me if he can keep the kids. Whenever I go to Chicago he will keep the potty trained ones. Once they get their wagon done, they are going to work on a Tree House.

So, Thank you Pops! You are awesome! You have stepped up to the plate and have surpassed my dreams for a Grampa for my kids. I can never thank you enough! But I am grateful for your accident. I am not sure that you would have been able to stop and smell the roses.

I LOVE YOU!