Grandpa Shively

It's always moving like the waves in the ocean, life and death in that give and take dance.

I have stood for hours watching the sun set over the Oregon Coast thinking about this very fact.

It's always the story of being alive and aware that brings in the mystic wonder of what happens when it all ends for each and every one of us?

Grandpa Shively had been getting older with health problems for a few years now. He would come to visit every summer with his wife Marion Shively to see his son and my father-in-law Kelly Shively. We would always have a big BBQ event, we would enjoy the whole lazy summer afternoon together. Then when they stopped making the trip from Mesa Arizona to Caldwell Idaho, I knew it would change everything. All of those happy times, laughing and eating together. Of Grandpa playing Cribbage with his son and grandsons, making jokes and making drinks!

It seems like just yesterday when I first married Tony and we went to a job interview in Phoenix. I didn't want to live there, but I figure we could live there for awhile and have a new adventure for sure! 

It was a rare thing to be swimming outside in February! I liked spending that weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Shively, getting to know them and what a nice life they had there since they retired.

It seemed like life would be that way forever when you are only 24 years old.

When Grandpa died on Thursday this week I sat in my garden awhile really crying hard, really letting it all wash through me since we knew this was coming and this was how it would be in the end for him.

When I think back to all the little jokes and moments with him, I think back to fun summer time BBQ's and the smiles on their faces when I met them for the very first time with my arms wide open for a big hug exclaiming "HI There Grandma and Grandpa!" they chuckled and hugged me back in surprise.

It's a term of endearment to be apart of a family, saying Grandma or Grandpa always warms my heart!

It was fun to marry into a family with even more Grandparents to consider mine!

It will roll on like the ocean waves through my life now to always remember Grandpa Shively, his clever comebacks, his jokes and stories of almost 94 years. 

        I was sitting beside Grandpa in the mini van as my husband and his brother sat up front joking around, Grandpa leaned into me asking "Do you think we are safe back here with them in charge?" I chuckled in my reply "All I know is I am glad to just be along for the ride, driving through Vegas isn't something I would want to do!" Grandpa smiled proudly sitting back in the seat next to me  "You and me both!"