Great Papa

Growing up I spent lots of time with my grandparents gma Renee and grandpa Lew, otherwise known as Pink Gma and Papa. My pink Gma got her nickname because she's always so pink. She uses her pink lipstick and rubs it on her cheeks and smears it around for blush, it's adorable. I don't think I've ever seen my pink Gma without pink lipstick on.. I guess it's kinda her trademark.

The last few years my papa has been so sick. He smoked for years and years (and somehow managed to hide it until my mom told me as an adult) he's had multiple heart surgeries, many of which the doctors told him he had a slim chance of surviving them. I can't tell you how many times pink Gma has called to say "you might want to come visit tonight.. I don't think he will make it through the night" ...somehow he always seems to pull through because years later he's still kickin! He's stubborn, He's extremely weak, and has spells where he can't see, can't walk or talk, and doctor after doctor can't figure out what's wrong. He's had quite a few really nasty falls which have landed him in the ER in the middle of the night and he's always bruised up which has pretty much confined him to his bed. 

Rewind to last November when I found out I was pregnant, and my due date on Papa's birthday! Spencer and I planned on telling our families at Christmas but we were so worried papa wouldn't make it to Christmas. Papa and I spent lots of time together and I was laying on his bed with him one night when he started crying and told me how hard it is to get old. How he hates not being independent and he enjoys being able to watch his kids and grandkids grow up. He then told me how much he wanted to see me have kids and be a mother. Little did he know I was weeks away from breaking the news to him. I visited with him almost everyday and watched his health closely in case we needed to tell him before Christmas. 

On Christmas Day we told my family we were expecting a little peanut. Papa was so happy he cheered and clapped his hands and waved his cane around. It was perfect! Papa loved watching my belly grow and told me he had never seen a more beautiful pregnant woman. {which really meant a lot after hearing pink Gma say "wow you are getting LARGE AND ROUND Aren't you!!"} Papa would laugh and laugh when I would call his name from the other room and poke just my large belly far enough around the door frame for him to see it. He would put his hands on my big belly and feel Mack kick and tell me how excited he was to meet him. 

When I had Mack and took him over to meet papa and Pink Gma for the first time I walked in with tiny baby in his carrier and papa just cried and cried. He laughed like I had never heard him laugh and he clapped his hands over and over. I had never seen him so happy! He calls me often during the week to see how the baby is doing and tells me "Mack has the prettiest perfect round head!!" The love that Mack's great Papa and Great Pink Gma have for him makes me so happy. I never met my great grandparents and the pictures I have of Mack with His are so special to me, and hopefully they will be just as special to him. 

It sucks seeing your loved ones grow older and struggle with everyday tasks. I'm SO happy and so thankful Mack has met them and gets to spend lots of time visiting. 

family love is such a special, beautiful thing.

 XOXO