Grandpa

It was the end of August and the whole church was abuzz with excitement.  This was to be the first Sunday that the new school teacher and his family would be in church.  The nine year old little girl cranked her head around and peeked over the church bench and there walking down the aisle was the cutest redheaded boy she had ever seen.

It didn't take long for that redheaded 12 year old boy to notice the shiny brown eyed girl.  It also didn't take long for that said little girl to discover that the boy's red hair matched his personality.

His name was Tom and his father was the school teacher.  His father must have been really good at praying because on one particular day, Tom decided to write a note to that cute brown-eyed girl named Tennie, slip out of his seat, crawl on the floor, and deliver that note to the lap of Tennie and get back to his desk all before his father was done praying.  Then there was the stolen kiss under the old wood stove.

It was a relationship that would continue into young adulthood when Tom asked Tennie to marry him.  Tom actually asked her to be his wife 3 times, each time she turned him down because her parents didn't really like that naughty DeGroot boy and Tennie, being the oldest of seven children, was expected to care for her parents and siblings.

I can only imagine the feelings that Tennie had trying to decided whether she would honor her parents or follow her heart.  Tom came back to ask for her hand one last time, this was it, she had to make her decision and then live with it for the rest of her life.  Tennie called her parents and told that that she was going to marry Tom and that they would like them to be at the wedding.  The phone was slammed down and no one from her family showed up on her wedding day.

Tom & Tennie's Wedding Picture

Tennie didn't let that change her decision because on May 1, 1941 she pledged her life to Tom in the Pastor's home in South Holland Illinois.  The only people in attendance were Tom's parents, the pastor and his wife, and the little neighbor girl, Maggie Kuiper, who was peeking in the front window.

It was several years after their marriage that Tennie's mother went to Tom and told him that she was so thankful Tennie married him, because he was a wonderful Son-In-Law.

Because of past health problems Tom and Tennie could not have children of their own but God had a plan for that part of their life too.

It was early on March 25th when Tom and Tennie's phone rang.  Tennie answered it, listened to the person on the other end and astonishingly said "Nelle had a baby?!"  to which Tom exclaimed "We'll Take It!!"  Nelle, was Tennie's unmarried younger sister.

That little baby girl was the light of her Daddy's eye.  He hung a sign on her bassinet that read;

"10 cents for a peek,

a quarter to hold her."

Tom and Tennie ended up adopting 3 more children.  Each one came to them in a very unique and unusual way, but each one was looked at as a blessing from God.

Even though the red-hair has long since turned gray and has fallen out and those shiny brown-eyes have dimmed over time, their love has continued to grow.  

It's been about 20 years ago now that Tom suffered a stroke.  He was no longer able to drive around town blowing his horn at all the ladies bending over in their front yards.  He was no longer able to sit with a grandchild on his knee and tell stories of when he was a boy.  He was no longer able to create amazing gadgets out of wood to sell.  He couldn't take his wife camping anymore.  But even though he could no longer do any of those things, he still managed to keep his mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Tennie started to become more and more his caretaker as the years slipped by.  It was a good thing she was a trained nurse, for she had plenty of opportunity to use those skills to help her husband.  

The last 1 1/2 years has been the hardest.  They had to move into a nursing home and although the primary care of Tom was no longer Tennie's responsibility she couldn't let it go.  For she had promised almost 70 years ago to care for him in sickness and in health.  

They were a couple like no other, to know them was to love them and to be loved by them.  Tom and Tennie are my grandparents.  That little baby girl that captured her Daddy's heart is my mother.

How do you put into words what is in your heart?  How do you express all that you are feeling adequately?  I keep hitting a wall and I am not able to cross over it for my heart is so heavy.  

We knew this day was coming we knew his time here on earth was drawing to a close.  I had taken the kids up to see them about 4 weeks ago and had a nice little visit with them.  They held each others hands.  Grandma would rub his head, she would smile at him and then get a worried look on her face.  He was failing quickly.  His body was slowly letting go.

As my Grandma would start to fret, my mother would quietly say, "Mom, it's just one breath closer to being together in Heaven."  I couldn't hold the tears back then, I had to look away, for my heart was hurting so much.  This precious man was the only Grandpa I had ever known and he was a skeleton of what he once was.  As the kids and I had said good-bye to him & my Grandma that day, I had no idea that it would be the last time I would kiss his sweet cheek and tell him I loved him here on earth.

He passed away this morning at the age of 94 years old.

When I told Jilli that Grandpa had died she got silent and then said "Well, now he is young again.  Do you think he chose wings?"

I do think he chose wings, and I am pretty sure there are a bunch of pranks happening in Heaven right now and I am also sure that he is talking up a storm.  

My Grandparents at my wedding 15 years ago.

Grandpa, thank you for being a wonderful father to the fatherless, thank you for being a Man among men, thank you for passing on your love of the Savior, thank you for taking me on that walk around your block and singing the song "Don't Worry Be Happy" to me as you danced in the street with me, thank you for being an amazing Grandpa.  I can't wait to dance and sing with you again in Heaven!

I Love You Grandpa!

Love,

Lynny