An Unexpected Goodbye

As if I haven't already said it enough, 2013 is, so far, a less than stellar year. My Monday night certainly didn't go as I expected. the girls came over to watch the second and third episodes of Downton and also my friend Denny made an appearance at my request. Denny is a computer whiz and I needed some help with a new router and so he came over and solved my issue. Although now, bless him, I need him to come back because one of my computers won't connect to the internet and I am beyond perplexed as to how to solve it. Thank goodness for friends with computer smarts.

Denny left and the girls and I watched Downton although I was a bit unsettled throughout the night and was in and out of the room for various and sundry things. After the second episode, the girls left and I cleaned up a bit and then went to bed after reading for all of about 10 minutes. I had not slept well the previous two nights and had a feeling I was finally going to catch up on some much needed rest.

About 11:30, there was a knock on the door. I didn't even hear the knock, but The Tide did and she ferociously jumped out of the bed and went to the front door and barked and barked and barked. I thought to myself that she would eventually stop barking and just laid there wondering what had rattled her. Then I heard a voice say, "Natasha, it's your brother, Justin." I actually didn't hear what he said, just my name and I knew it was his voice. I finally got up and went to the door. He had a girl with him and I first thought it was Jackie, but couldn't tell and I wondered to myself, why is she with Justin and where are her children. Then I realized it wasn't her, but still couldn't tell who it was - all of this was taking place in about 10 seconds time of course, it seemed like minutes. Finally I realized it was my cousin, Brittany. My first thought was that Justin had fallen off the wagon and been kicked out of my parents house and was looking for a place of refuge. I opened the door and asked, "what?" and he said "Can we come in?" Still thinking that he was probably hammered I said, "no, what are you doing here?" Then he told me the news... my granddad had died.

My granddad, Ben Paul Parker, has not been in good health for a while. As my dad said, we have had him on borrowed time for quite a while now. We thought we were going to lose him on more than one occasion in the past few years, but the Lord saw fit to give us more time together. We are not sure what happened exactly - a heart attack, stroke, burst of an aneurysm - but, whatever it was, it happened quick and quite honestly, that is a bit of a blessing. 

In December we had family photos made. My cousin Alexandra took them for us and I know everyone feels very blessed to have these last family photos with my granddad. I hope to be able to put some thoughts down in the next day or two so that I can express to you how special my granddad was to me. We didn't always get along or see eye to eye, but he holds a special place in my heart and I will forever be grateful for having him in my life these (almost) 36 years.

I will try to remember to list the arrangements on here for you as well because I know some of you knew my granddad and might like to pay your respects. We appreciate your love and support at this time and above all else ask that you keep us all in your prayers.