A day with Papa.

Yesterday we had the extreme pleasure of spending the day with my Papa and his dog Schnitzel. They are both characters. One has beady brown eyes, one has spectacular sky-blue eyes, and they both have boundless amounts of energy and affection to share with anyone who will afford them the opportunity. 

My Papa is a great man. He hails from the Chickasaw Tribe of Oklahoma. He served under General Patton in Germany. He taught me how to waterski and taught me about the constellations when I was a child. He loves bread & butter pickles, OSU and basketball. He adored his wife of more than 50 years, cared for her until her death and keeps her memory alive with endless stories of the woman he still lovingly refers to as "my bride." He is a hard-working, honest, generous man who cares deeply about people, the earth, animals and integrity. He is concerned about "youngsters" and their futures. He preaches about the importance of doing the right thing. And he has more friends than most people I know. It's not hard to understand why. 

He also happened to raise my mother. He is one of the most inspirational people in her life and helped shape her into the woman she is today. For that, I am forever grateful. :) 

It was delightful to spend the day at the lake with him. The kids swam non-stop, buried themselves in the sand and ate fistfuls of lemon drops. We got shuttled around in the "Carry-U-All," (Papa's pride and joy... a beastly 1971 Chevrolet he calls "Molly Brown") and had a picnic on the patio. It was a very relaxing day. 

All the while Papa told stories while Schnitzel and Roxie played underfoot. Roxie was the epitome of cute with her red bandana. Why is it that a red bandana can instantly send a dog's cuteness factor through the roof? 

As we were saying our goodbyes, Jasper gave Papa a hug and a high-five and said, "You're cool." I agree.

We drove home last night with three tired and happy kids, a soggy dog, sand in places we didn't know even existed and very happy hearts. 

(September 7 is National Grandparents Day. If you're fortunate enough to still have a grandparent living, pick up the phone and give them a call. It will make their day!)