My grandparents were great people, who died within about a month or two of each other. I was 17, and thought that I would have forever with them. I lived with them for a little while because I was a horrible person to my parents, and it just worked better that way. My grandpa was my grandmas soul mate, they met when they were young, married and lived such a great life together.
When they died, it was a shock. I stayed away from my family as much as I could, to try and not feel the pain of their deaths. I stopped eating, and was just completely in denial that anything had happened, because I didnt want to believe it. One night before my grandma died, I went to the hospital to see her and say goodbye. It was horrible. I didnt want to say goodbye, but I knew it was going to happen. To see my mom go through all that made me realize how lucky I was to have her.
I miss them terribly. It has been almost 10 years, and I still cant get over it. I cry weekly because I miss them so much. They were the most loving and non judgmental people ever. I miss going to my grandmas house when my grandpa was on business trips, I miss watching JAG with them while eating ice cream. I even miss their tonic drinks. Every time I smell the aloe vera lotion from the nail salon, it reminds me of them.
Popee. He was probably the funniest man I have ever met. He took my brother and I in as his own grandchildren with no questions asked when we were young. My best and favorite memories of him were when Stephen was on deployment and we would sit there at the kitchen table while he was drinking a beer at 9am, talking about his Army days, and about Stephens "troop movement". When I hadnt heard from Stephen in a couple of weeks and was getting worried, Popee would spend as much time with me as I needed to help me calm down and explain what happens when he cant call. I miss taking him to the bus stop and hearing about how his VA appointments went, I miss the weekly letters we would get from him, and I miss watching him put out the garbage cans every monday night at my moms house because according to him "that is my job". I miss sitting at the front door of my parents house and watching him walk down the street from the bus stop, because we all knew that Popee wasnt taking rides from anyone.
Above all, I am horrified and saddened over the fact that Caitlin will never grow up with them. She never met my grandma and grandpa, and she only got a limited time with Popee. I am honored that she got to spend 5 years with Popee. I just wish that I could turn back time and just make it happen. All I can do is keep their memory alive for her and to tell her how great they were. In the meantime, she has some of the best grandparents in the world. Stephens mom and step dad love her like she was their own child, Stephens dad and step mom hopefully will be in the picture soon, and my parents remind me of my grandma and grandpa. Because of that, I know she will be loved by them and she will feel the way I did about my grandparents and Popee.
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