Hey Old Man!

Well, here it is-another year gone by. It seems like the time just flies by. I was sitting here trying to think about what to say, and actually was just chuckling to myself about all the things that came to mind. It's hard for me to narrow down to the space allowed here just what I could say, or all that I remember from my life about the time spent with Papa. I could list simple things like driving up to Canyon road in that old, beat-up, backfiring pickup to pound in a few more nails (or throw a few more dirt clods); then I think about trips to Bear Lake when we ate barbecue in the barn to stay out of the rain before watching the play at the dinner theatre; but who can forget the times spent at a campground in Yellowstone watching "On Golden Pond" during a mean game of Rummikub after a day spent catching a trout in Jackson? There are too many things that have been important in my life to be able to list them here, but I will try.

I will always appreciate the fact that no matter what, Papa has always made me feel important. Whether it was by letting me make the pre-trip checklist for the Bounder, or taking time to play catch while Grandma was trying to get him to unload the car, it has always meant a lot to me. Even more so when I know that he still remembers those things, too. I'm thankful for the patience he has shown me at times when letting me feel important maybe wasn't such a good idea-like the countless loads of concrete that I know I dumped trying to help build a retaining wall behind the garage. And the continued patience when I tried to make his favorite bread and milk, and made it wrong (he doesn't like sugar in it). But he never told me, or even said a word. I found out all these things later when the crucial moments had passed.

Being a father now, I can look at my own life and find traits in myself that I have learned from you; or, as even more of an honor, that I learned from your son who learned them from you.

I was lucky enough as a kid to be able to spend a lot of time with you-probably more than any of your other grand kids-and I'm grateful for that. I probably needed it. I have learned so many things from you that I don't think I could even list them if I tried. But I know that they have all made a difference in my life, and the lives of all of us. I may have a lot of stories and memories, but an awful lot of those involve a lot of other people-rubber band gun battles with Jake and Jared, sliding down the stairs in the Christmas tree box, waiting in the basement while you tied silver dollars in the toes of our stockings, summer concerts at Ross Park, watching the "I" hill burn from the fireworks at the 4th of July...

Thank you, Papa, for all the things that you mean to all of us. Speaking especially for myself.