70 years

 
I was thinking today that I should come up with a theme for this blog. Like some blogs are about food, photography, politics, languages, countries etc. But what subject could I write about in which I feel like I have enough knowledge to contribute to the world? When I discover it I'll let you know.

I'm going to Las Vegas next month! My Family is having a reunion there so we're flying in from all over the US. Let's just say that I have a BIG family. My grandparents had 8 children, 7 girls and 1 boy. They were a farming family so it would have been nice to have more boys, but they always made do. That's why I've always looked up to my grandparents. They were married for 70 years!! I know! My grandfather passed away last August and it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to go through. I'd never lost anyone so close before. He was in the hospital "unconcious" for a few days before he died and I'll never forget the time we spent there. One evening my mom and I were in the hospital room with him and they had his oxygen up to 100%, which is as high as it will go. His oxygen level was like @ 70 or something and the nurses said that there was nothing else they could do for him and that we should start calling family in. It makes me tear up just thinking about it. My aunt rushed my grandmother back to the hospital because she had left earlier to go home and get some sleep after being at the hospital over 24 hours. I prayed that she would get there before he was gone. All of my family that could, gathered in his hospital room [remember I have a BIG family] and there was barely enough standing room for everyone. What I'll never forget is that we stood around and told stories about grandpa and there was laughing amongst the tears. I know in my heart that grandpa could hear us and I know that he was smiling inside. We all thought we would lose him that night but being the strong soul that he was, that wasn't the case. I hoped that it was enough time for my uncle Bill, his only son, to fly in from Pheonix to say goodbye. They had always had a special relationship. He stayed alive for several days. The night that my uncle was scheduled to fly in my grandpa started losing ground and the machines started beeping every 15 minutes or so. Through the rain my cousin Amy drove my uncle back to Lincoln from Omaha where his flight came in. Thankfully he made it, and when he entered the hospital room everyone started crying. Again, I'll never forget these moments. I still miss him everyday, but I know he had a full life and loved his family more than anything. My grandfather made us who we are today and I'm grateful to have had the chance to be his granddaughter.