Gone far too long but always in our hearts

Let's rewind to January 14th, 2016, it was a horribly crazy week at work, I was on day two of three of all day meetings and preparing for a weekend work trip.  To say I was overwhelmed would be an understatement but something stopped me in my tracks that day and made me appreciate everything I have in my life and everyone who is woven into my fabric of me.   I was taking a mental time out at work, you know checking in on the social media world.  Those silly Facebook memories popped up and said, "I can't believe it's been 10 years since Grandpa Horstman has passed." WHAT and that was 6 years ago I wrote that on my page!  Tear flowed down my face and I just stopped.  That 10 years is now 16 years since we had said so long to him and yet I can remember it all like yesterday.

I have been blessed to have amazing grandparents and also saddened that they are no longer here to enjoy these little creatures who run our world.  There are many times where I imagine the conversations they are having with my grandparents and yet it hurts my heart to now that they have influenced my kids but yet cannot see their influence in their lives.

When Maggie made the perfect icing for our Christmas cookies, which is Grandma Horstman's recipe, I smiled and knew Grandma was right there in the kitchen with her.  When we took those yummy cookies to Aunt Marie and she remembers them I smiled because once again she and Grandma Ramey loved those cookies.

When the kids and I go shopping, yes even the boys, I see Grandma Ramey and Granny Cool influencing them and their shopping habit, those woman could shop like no other.  Making decisions and weighing each one.  My kids amaze me on their detail to pull together outfits and I know they are there.

When we laughed at Thanksgiving because Jill had the kids upstairs having a dance party and we knew that if Grandpa Horstman was there he would be yelling at us to stop, we let it go and the dance party was a hit for all!  Oh we knew he would want it to stop but hearing everyone talk about him telling us to stop was enough for the stories to flow and the memories to show he was there.

There are so many stories and instances, even in the few short years I knew Matt's grandmothers, there are pieces of them in their day too.  Maggie wants to learn to sew and oh how I wish Lois was here to show her, they would go toe to toe in opinion but she would definitely teach her and be proud of her.

I have truly been blessed with some of the most amazing grandparents in my life but I miss them.  I miss them a ton.  We talk about them a lot and all of the great memories.  I love when the kids ask questions about them.

If you still have grandparents living, hug them tight.  Visit them often and tell them thank you if they have influenced your life.  Whether 16 years since Grandpa Horstman passed or only 2 for Grandma Ramey it still makes me sad but I know they are all watching over us each and every day.

The kids and I visiting with Aunt Marie, delivering our yummy cookies

My last photo with both Grandma and Grandpa, college graduation December 1999

Grandma Ramey, Aunt Marie and I at my college graduation December 1999