New Year's Day

Thirteen years ago today, I lost my maternal grandfather Norman Holcomb. I woke up to the phone ringing and news of his passing. I was a newly married woman and went downstairs to have a cry. While downstairs, I found a live bird in my house.... I knew that bird was my grandfather coming to let me know he was free (he suffered from Alzheimer's). I caught the bird, went outside in the cold and said a prayer to my grandfather. I opened up my hands to let the bird free and to let go of my grandfather. What a beautiful story, it really happened and because my life is so full of humor I will continue....

So when I open up my hands to let the bird go, it keels over and falls to the ground. "Holy crap!" I say through my tears and bend over to retrieve the bird. Turns out it was just stunned and after I righted it it flew away. Not really Hallmark, it would have been had the bird taken to flight right away, but real life isn't the movies or a channel on cable. And so, on this day of new beginnings, I thought I would share what I consider a new beginning. The beginning of my life without my grandfather:

Here he is holding me for my first Christmas in 1970.

Here he is in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. He was a mover and moved Babe Ruth's things (among others) when there was a restoration of the Hall of Fame. While visiting there in 2006, Mr. Fantastic found the picture (he is the handsome man in the center of the picture, holding the picture of Babe with a bat). It was a thrilling moment for me.

Here he is today:

He is in the stubbornness of my first born and in his golf swing.

He is in the beautiful face of my second born and his very infectious and distinguishable laugh.

He is in the unbelievable ability of my third born to fall asleep in any position.

And his face is in my mother, in her humor and if I squint real hard...... I see him.

So you see, I never have to live my life without him, he is still everywhere if I take the time to look. Happy New Year.