I have 7 grandchildren.  The oldest is 21 and the youngest 2 are both 11.  Four boys, Three girls.  Losing their uncle in 2010 was the first real experience they had with death.  It was hard, yet kids have their own way of looking at things and they knew he had suffered enough.  That he was ready to let go of his crippled, pain racked earthly body.  But then their big strong Papa got sick.  The papa that took them to the Provincial Fair every year.  The papa that taught them how to read the…

My daughter and grandchildren came home for the holidays.  I knew I  needed to give her something meaningful of her dads and I knew it needed to be the sweater he wore so much the last month of his life.  It hadnt been washed and still has a feint hint of Tom.  It has been folded in his dresser since I brought it home the morning he passed away.  I would take it out and hold it and cry into it more times than I can count.  And yet I knew it was the one thing his daughter wanted to have.  So…