As another year has come to a close, I wanted to take some time to reflect on 2010. Last year was a year of many ups and downs, joys and sorrows, and a tremendous amount of personal growth, which is always a long, hard road. But, I am so thankful for what God has been doing in my heart and for the path that has led to today.
I took a hiatus from blogging last year as I didn't know what to write...the good, the bad, the sad, the fun...so I just stopped for a while. But, I'm back! I am excited to start a new year and share what is going on with our family! But before we move on to 2011, I want to do a tribute to my Grandpa who died this past October.
Grandpa was a smart and talented man who loved God and his family. He played the saxophone and clarinet, both of which he played in dance bands in his younger years. He was a handy and skilled craftsman who built the house my mom grew up in by himself over the course of a year and a half. He also enjoyed building model cars and could fix anything. He was an excellent golfer and played often - he even got a hole in one at Ocean Isle once when playing with my dad. He was a deacon in his church and sang in the church choir for over 40 years. He had polio in his early twenties and the way he overcame this setback, which ended his career of sheet metal work on airplanes, shows so much about who he was. While in the hospital, he asked his mom to teach him how to knit and he made socks for soldiers during WWII. He went on to get a business degree in accounting and worked for the same company for 37 years. He was kind, gentle yet firm, loving, determined, a hard worker, was fabulous at teaching things to others, and a wonderful provider for his family. At his funeral, my dad described him as "straight as an arrow"- unwavering, unshakeable, strong in his convictions, not afraid to stand up for what he believed in, someone who knew who he was. He believed in treating others with kindness and lending a helping hand whenever possible. He was an amazing man, a member of the greatest generation, and I am thankful for his influence in my life. I will miss him dearly - "they just don't make them like that anymore."
...and we spent lots and lots of time at the pool. He loved playing with toys on the steps. 
