Happy Birthday Papaw!

Howdy!

I didn’t think I’d have to wait two weeks to actually publish this post, but I had no room for it. It’s all right though!

My papaw’s birthday was in earlier this month, we had plans to do something special on it since planning his funeral in April. It was a family get together that everybody had been dreading because it’s going to be hard to celebrate any other holiday without my papaw being there. However, I was pretty excited about it. I know he’d want us all to enjoy ourselves.

On the first day, my Uncle Rick drove down and even though he was slightly sick I think he still enjoyed being around us. We were still goofy and laughing at each other’s stories. Especially when I managed to stomp Rick twice. He now has to test out Cashew cheese! It’s a long story! Every time we have a family gathering, we get a fruit, veggies, and meat and cheese tray. It usually fills us up in the two or three days we’re together. I mostly had vegetables than fruit. The only time I wanted oranges was when my Aunt Laurie decided to eat the last three slices and offered me at last minute. I didn’t take it because I had a full mouth of broccoli!

When we first got there, Laurie and my nana told us that she bought balloons to be released or what nana kept saying all weekend long “lift off” into the sky. As everybody went with their sappy, somewhat sad messages, I went for the humorous approach. I have to say, it was my first time writing on a balloon! The fact you can read it, is a freaking miracle! Since Rick was there that day, he, Laurie, Mike, Taylor, and nana released theirs into the sky. It rained off and on all day, it actually started misting as I watched in my wheelchair, camera in foot, snapping away!

Blondie had to work that day, so she missed the craft session. My Aunt Linda, Rick’s wife purchased us little mason jars painted in different colors like turquoise, gray, and dark gray. She also bought different lids to go on top. We were going to put papaw’s ashes each one. I originally didn’t want one at first, but I decided to have one made just in case later I’d change my mind. I chose a light gray jar with a red zig-zag decorative lid. What was funny though was we didn’t have a big enough funnel or anything to scoop into the box to pour the ashes into the jars. So my mom had to use my nana’s measuring cups! I also suggested using a piece of paper as a homemade funnel. They turned out to be pretty “cute” I don’t know how my papaw would feel about me saying that!

We didn’t go home until 4:30pm that day, it was probably the latest my Uncle Rick (he stayed a little longer) has ever went home in a while but I think he genuinely enjoyed talking to all of us.

The next day was officially my papaw’s birthday. He would have been 85 years old! My dad went out early that morning to get a paper and ended up getting stopped by the train. According to him, the whole thing was new. It was clear black going backwards on the track. He also got lottery tickets and lost, which he thinks was my papaw doing as a joke.

I stood outside spending time with the babies as it was clear and cool before we headed over to my nana’s again. We thought it was weird that our rain and storms were gone on his birthday! My mom and dad got me some bubbles the other day and I decided to take them to my nana’s. When we got there, we knew Brandon and Blondie were there already. They brought Brandon’s friend and best man Allen with them, who was very nice. Laurie had to go out and find more balloons as the other three were losing helium. The new ones had white polka dots on them. So my mom and Em and Brandon had their own balloons, while my nana used the last one and wrote down our deceased pets on each one. I released that one into the sky as mine was tied onto my mom’s.

My dad came over and spent some time with all of us. He got out his bike and watched both of his daughters and future son-in-law play with Laurie and Mike’s dog Mila with the bubbles. I haven’t had so much fun with bubbles in a long time! I’ve got to do it again soon! He also stayed and ate a sandwich or two and helped sing “happy birthday” before we ate the cake. My mom got passed the first line and started crying. My poor sister had to leave the room! I was doing fine until my aunt pointed out my mom’s bawling and red face! Later on, my mom, Blondie, and Laurie went upstairs and take pictures of the upstairs for my nana and they brought down some stuff that I’ll share in another post I promise!

I think it was a successful weekend, better than I thought it would be. I think papaw would be a happy camper knowing everybody enjoyed it too! ♥

Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin