moments with pops

he often told me that the first time i ever met him i asked, "and how old are you?"
a bold question for a lil' 8 year old.
i don't remember that, so it couldn't be me. ;)

there was quite an age different between he and my mom,
but they always kept in touch through my growing up years.

i remember receiving dolls from various countries in his travels.
today, i'm wishing i knew what ever happened to those dolls.

my birth-dad died when i was a baby.  i never knew him.  the stories of him are few.  his life was taken too young.

my second dad died when my brother was but a toddler.  i can't imagine the heartache mom must have felt.  two husbands gone, now left as a single mother... with two children.  our little family of three relied on other family members to help us through rough patches.   there were quite a few. 

mom went on to marry again.  twice.  but those turned into more heartache than can be shared on a blog.

then... mom and pops reunited again.  this time, we all knew that this reunion would finally end in "i do's."  mom and pops married months before hubs and me in 1992.

i had a dad.

before i married, i remember walking in any given room in the house to simply... chat. 

sometimes, i goosed him.  *giggle* 

we didn't solve life's problems in those moments, but i was thankful to have spent time with him.  he was always present in conversation.  he never made me feel as though he was more interested in watching a television program, or running an errand.

when hubs and i married, we moved out of state.  staying close from such a distance can prove challenging when you rely on real face time.  our visits, when traveled across many miles, have always been genuine and engaging. 

during those visits, he was always proud to show us his woodwork. 
pieces that will always be cherished. 
  
his beth {his granddaughter they adopted as a baby}.
fruit trees.
boats he sold.
and his dogs. 
he had a thing for boston terriers.
and the name tony.
all of his dogs were named tony. 
I, II, and III.



we never realized our last visit would be our last.  christmas 2010. 

sunday eve, we received word that he wouldn't likely make it through the night.  a couple hours later, he breathed his last. 

i would have liked to have had more face time with him.  but i will have to save that conversation for when i see him again. 

we will. 
see him again. 
our tears are temporary.
what a joyful day that will be. 
reunited with my hubby's sweet dad, as well.
we miss him much.

many years ago, i'd never felt the comfort of god more real than in a quiet moment of tears regarding the history of fathers in my life.  his words to me were not chastising, but beautifully healing and full of pure love...   "what better father can you ask for than me?"

i'm thankful pops is resting in the arms of our father. 
rejoicing in a new body that will never again betray him.
there's no need for medications because there are no symptoms of alzheimer's there. 
but i'm sure he knows that by now.

missing you, pops.