My Sweet Grandfather.

We wish time spent with those we love could last forever...

...in our hearts it will.

Grandpa Frank

1/11/1923 - 12/23/2011

My Grandpa (last living) passed away late last Friday night, December 23. It was a whirlwind of events that started early in the week with him not feeling well and driving himself to his doctor. It seemed as though it was just going to be something rather small, but it turned out to be something rather big that snowballed into something bigger with each passing day. By the end of the week, he was placed on Comfort Care (hospice) with a short amount of time to live. I made it just in time to spend a few hours with him, hold his hand, tell him how much I love him and say my good-bye. My brothers and I went home to get some sleep and within a half hour after leaving, my mom called to say that he had passed away. I truly could have never been ready for him to go and I am terribly sad that he gone. I am going to miss the regular, everydayish moments with him, for example, picking up the phone to call him and hearing him say on the other end, "Hey Nikki-Sweet Pie...how ya doing?".  However, as a family friend read in his eulogy at my Grandpa's funeral, this is his first Christmas in about 8 years that he was able to spend with my Grandma. Knowing that they are finally together, something my Grandpa has wanted for a long time, warms my heart and makes me feel a little less sad. 

My grandpa and his four daughters (and he has five sons!)...yep 9 kids! And he was the baby of a family of 13 children!

Owen shares his birthday with my Grandpa along with his middle name Xavier.

This was the last time I spent time with my Grandpa. We went out to lunch with my mom and the boys. My Grandpa and I shared a whopping piece of chocolate dessert...it was wonderful!

I have such amazing memories of my Grandpa. My heart just overflows with love and admiration for him as not only my Grandfather, but as my mother's father. He was truly a one-in-a-million type of grandpa. I love him so much and will miss him so very, very deeply!