Day 13

My PapaBear

'A child needs a Grandpa to grow a little more securely into an unfamiliar world.' 

Charles and Ann Morse

He's the man who scared me so bad as a child my Grandma had to devise a game to get me to look at him. 'What does the doggy say? Woof. What does the kitty say? Meow. What does the PapaBear say? RAWR.' 

He's the man I've always admired-from the way people talk to him, to the way he runs his business, to the way he carries himself in life. 

He's the man who loved my Grandma completely-heart and soul. And His example is what I want to find in my life-always and forever. 

He is the man who always encouraged me to be better-even if I didn't understand why he was pushing me so hard, he's always had my best interests at heart. 

He is the man that I love unconditionally and he loves me unconditionally. He is the man that helped me figure out that I wasn't so different (that I did fit in with my family). 

He's the man that is my biggest support system, the president of my fan club (and I'm the president of his), the man that lets me have 'bipolar disorder' when I watch football, the man who stocks his fridge with oatmeal raisin cookies from Ralph's when I come into town, the man who always cuts fresh flowers for me (and even grew an Abraham Lincoln rose), the man who always wants to ask the boys in my life, 'do you like pain?', the man who is my hero in every sense of the word. 

I could never express enough gratitude for my Grandfather. I have a lot in life to be grateful-but I cannot wait to thank Heavenly Father in person for giving me my Grandfather. He is an inspiration and every moment with him is the best in life. I love him-heart and soul. And I could never ask for a better PapaBear. He is truly the world's most amazing man. (And I am not prejudiced.) 

'What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.' 

-Rudolph Giuliani

Thanks for the Cookies PapaBear. And thank you for being my everything!