This was taken at Beth's wedding this last summer.
My sister called me a couple weeks ago with news she had me sit down to hear. My Grnadpa was going onto hospice care. My sisters and I had a very special relationship with our Grandparents growing up. My parents divorced when I was little and they did everything for us. We sat around the dinner table together every night. They took us to school and picked us up. They taught us all what love in a marriage was by setting an awesome example. They taught us that humor can get you through some pretty rough times. I lost my Grandma a year and a half ago. Since then I only saw my Grandpa twice. I saw him this last summer for my sister's wedding. My Mom said she didn't think he had much time left. So we decided we needed to go say our goodbyes to him. Twelve days ago was the last time I saw him. He passed away on January 12th. I know where he is and it is comforting that I will see him again. I am just really sad that I won't see him until then. He gave me away at my wedding. He stepped in and took over the role of father when I didn't have one growing up. We talked on the phone quite a bit after I moved away and he always would get choked up and sometimes he would cry a little and told me he just wished he could see us. I feel guilty for not being there the last two years. I always knew that I would lose them someday. I just didn't realize how hard it would be. I was glad to be able to visit him before he died. He was able to see the girls and to meet Micah. He was a very loving, funny, very friendly man. He will be missed by a lot of people. At his funeral Pastor Starr said like his name (Curvin) he was one of a kind and he will be sorely missed. One thing he taught me is that it doesn't take money to be happy. My grandparents never had much but they were always so content. A walk through the woods looking at wildflowers or picking apples from Close's trees was an afternoon of fun. Grandpa was always very fond of music. He always wanted us to sing to him when we had get togethers. (This was a culture shock for Jeremy when he joined our family.) But one of the "Curvinisms" that I will never forget was "How's about you sing me a solo? So low I can't hear ya." Or another "Hey how about you sing me a song. It's called far far away". He really did love music though. He would just say that to pesky young kids that wouldn't stop singing or humming around the living room when he was trying to read the paper after getting out of work. He came to every singing competition or performance that I ever had. He took me to plays and to see a couple operettas. He also loved reading to us kids. He could read Uncle Remus like you never heard. I wish I had a tape of him reading it. He really had a way with it. I used to do craft shows with him and my Grandma almost every weekend way back when. I loved it. I got to hang out with two of my favorite people. My Grandma and I built a dollhouse together when I was about 9 years old. My Grandpa made me a bunch of wooden furniture and then my Grandma would paint it. I have a few very special things to remember them by. I have the dollhouse. Then I have a couple of my Grandma's oil paintings. Then I have the bench my Grandpa made for me. I have so many special memories of them both. I don't even have to wonder where they are now because if I asked myself the response my brain shoots out is this "Does a bear shit in the woods? Does the Pope wear a beanie?" Ha. Yes, another bit of Curvin humor.
Thank you Grandpa for all you did for me. I will miss you and yes, I will miss you more. Oh, and if I ever have another son......I will name him Curvin. Why? Because you aren't here to tell me I can't.
