Until we meet again.

This morning the world lost a very kind man that always put his family first and taught them by example. Heaven, I'm sure got even happier.
       My grandpa was a good man that I always knew loved me. My mom was married, had 2 kids, after 13 years divorced our biological father and a few years later married the man that adopted us and raised us as his own. He was 21, my mom 32. I'm sure, as his dad, it wasn't easy to accept this and to welcome 2 grandkids that were older than his other grandkids he'd known since their birth. I've been thinking a lot about grandpa the past few weeks, not knowing of his declining health and kept brushing away the thoughts to call him and say hi. What I've been thinking about is the way he loved his family and how devoted he was to my grandma and the similarities between my grandpa and my dad. There are so many and I'm so touched by many of these similarities.
       My grandpa told me yesterday between pained breaths and a very weak, quiet voice that grandma is 88 and he was 83. I'd forgotten he was younger than she was. A few similarites are these: Grandpa married a divorced woman with 3 children, he was younger than she was, he adopted those 3 kids and raised them as his own, he worked hard to provide for his family. My dad married mom, adopted us, raised us and worked hard for us and fearlessly protected us. I think those are the similarities that struck me the hardest as I sat holding my grandpa's hand yesterday.
I believe I have the life I have in large part due to my grandpa. My mom had a very different social life than she did before she met my dad and grandparents. He raised a boy that would follow his example and do his best to give us a good life and make sure we did better than he did. He raised a boy that valued education so much so that attending college was an expectation, not a choice. He taught my dad how to treat his wife, love her children, work hard and to always put his family first. He helped my mom and dad find God.
       My dad loved my grandpa so much that when he was little, he once put ketchup on his hair to try to dye it red so he could be just like grandpa. The red didn't stay very long but it did give him his life long nickname of "Rusty."
Because of my grandpa I married a man that feels, loves, protects and works just like he did and like his son did. Because of my grandpa (and several others in our family) I have a respect for our military service men and women. Because of grandpa my family and extended family is better for having him in our lives.
       Grandpa is the 4th close relative I've lost in October. (mom, dad, my Uncle Jim and now grandpa Bell) I still love the month of October. My mom hated it because it was a reminder of people she'd lost. I choose to stay positive and happy about this season...season in nature and season in life.
As the trees lose their leaves this month, I'm reminded of the loved ones I've lost. However, I'm also reminded as I hear kids' laughter fill the air while they jump in those fallen leaves, that each fallen leaf is a blessing and adds to the joy they've given both on the trees and off, just as all those that have gone before me. Their lives and those memories are a blessing to be celebrated and remembered.

RIP Grandpa Bell. We love you and thank you for being the man you were.