We sure miss you, George!

4 years ago today my father in law George went home to be with Jesus. I remember this day like it was yesterday and all the events that took place. I’ll never forget the drive to the hospital early that morning and Ben almost hitting every car in front of us. I’ll never forget our good friends Chad and Ashley who stayed late with us at the hospital the night before…..and Chad beating us to the hospital the morning George died! That’s how you know you have good friends. I’ll never forget the doctors walking in and out of the waiting room with constant updates – none of which were good. I remember somebody asking if we needed a Chaplin to visit us and with much pride we told them our pastor was already there along with other staff members from our church. I remember the last update from one of the many doctors telling us George wouldn’t be with us much longer and we should make our way to his room. I remember several nurses and doctors in his room when we arrived. I remember them trying to tell us his condition and what to expect before we walked in.

Nothing could have prepared us for what we experienced next.

Seconds after walking into his room he had another heart attack and at the request of the family – they did not resuscitate him. We all walked into the room, held each other and cried. It was such a surreal moment that I had to step back from it all and catch my breath. Was this really happening? My heart broke for my at the time 16 year old sister in law who just lost her dad. My very young mother in law who just lost the love of her life. And my husband who through it all had to be a rock and the strong one for his family. As we stood in the room as a grieving family, someone pointed out the smile George had on his face. We each looked at his lifeless body and sure enough….with his head tilted to the side, he was smiling. And why not? He just saw the face of his Savior. He was no longer in any pain and was walking on streets of gold. That puts a smile on my face, too!

4 years have come and gone and life does go on. We miss him and think about him daily. He now has 2 grandsons who were named after him…..Kevin and our new nephew Jacob Kevin. He would have been so proud of that! He also would have loved the fact that Kevin inherited his big ole’ fat feet. Thanks a million, George.