Still Squeezing!

Tomorrow marks one year that my grandfather passed away...I still find myself wanting to call him and ask a question and then remember I can't...I guess this is one of those situations like Einstein was talking about when he said, "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute. That's relativity."
I understand that quote better than ever now, It has been year and some days it feels like yesterday and some days it feels like forever ago!
So in his memory, Today I am going to post a note that I posted on my Facebook account the day he passed away last year....Wow I miss him!!

My grandfather told me around 15 years ago that when his father was sick, right before he passed away he couldnt speak...so to let him know that he loved him his daddy would squeeze his hand THREE times representing "I LOVE YOU" so from that day forward me and my grandfather have always given 3 sqeezes before we depart. If on the phone since he lives at the beach we always say "Squeeze" and he would make a squeezing noise (the noise a ratchet wrench makes) and we would disconnect (anyone who talks to me on the phone knows I never say "bye" I just hang up).

Anyway, I found a poem that he had displayed for a while in his house, (not sure if it still is or not) that I had written for him on April 4, 2001 once when he was sick before, I found it today and thought I would share it.

"Squeeze"
You are my only one
To me you set the sun.
My one and only
I can always call if I am ever lonely.
You always stand up for me
and are very generous to me with your money!
You make me laugh when you take out your teeth
You make me cry by telling me to watch my waistline not to eat!
Always stressting and Always guessing I'll do wrong
Still I am proving I am very strong.
When I heard you were sick
It made me think quick
I began to pray
and look you are still here today.
You're gonna be fine
Just keep the right mind.
I'm not behind you
I'm not in front of you
I'm right beside you.
I love you so much
I know you feel the same
I feel this love just by you saying my name.
I was truly blessed
with you in my life
I thank God every night.
Paw Paw Stop worrying we will all be alright
I'll squeeze your hand and youll squeeze mine back
Never letting go, no not a bit of slack.
~CFR 4/4/2001

I called yesterday afternoon after hearing that he was unresponisve and this was probably his last day to give him one more squeeze...my daddy held the phone up to my pawpaw's ear and I said "Hey pawpaw! It's Faith, just wanted to say I love you and Squeeze, Squeeze, Squeeze!!!" and I hung up. My family said he raised his eyebrows but I bet if they would have been watching his hand they would have seen him squeezing! When I was there last weekend I took a picture of what I felt would be one of our final squeezes (you can see it below)...and it was, so I am so glad I have this picture forever now!


SQUEEZE!!!!!!!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
xoxo,
Faith