Just needing to put thoughts on paper

Moments after laying down for bed a knock came at the door. I sprang to my feet, grabbed the nearest object / weapon and followed the barking dog down the hall to the front door. It's highly unusual that anyone comes over unannounced, especially late at night. When I opened the door I saw my parents, standing in the cold. For a moment I considered a million reasons why in the middle of the night my parents would be standing on my porch. I realized before they even spoke why they were here. As the words came out of my mother's mouth, it was as if someone had just set time to slo-motion. I sat there, silent for what seemed like an eternity as she proceeded to tell me that my grandfather had passed away. While it came as no true surprise, as he had been battling cancer and other ailments for years; I couldn't help myself from sitting in stunned silence numb to the world around me.

Growing up, I always cherished the time spent with my grandfather. Listening to his stories of years gone by, working with him on houses for less than minimum wage, feeding the chickens he kept in the barn I helped him to build. When my grandmother passed on several years ago a large part of him died as well. You could see it in his eyes. For years he patiently waited to be with her again and I know that he is there now telling her all about it.

It certainly makes you consider your own mortality when a generation of your family is gone. He was the last of my grandparents. I have always prided myself on how much of him I have in me. My red beard, my sense of humor, my love of story telling. Now those things seem a little more important. It pains me to know that my children will never know him but I will make sure that they hear the same stories that were repeated to me so many times over a pepsi. Through that, he will live on.

An overdue update

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season I've broke my pledge to update in a timely manner. On Monday, we had our second home study meeting. All the hard work to make the home safe paid off and we passed with flying colors. So long story short, we have the blessing of the government to adopt an infant. As soon as our social worker left there was a long sigh of relief, followed by a joyous celebration, and then it was back to work. We have decided on a placing agency and now the process will begin anew to raise money, pray, and wait.

We have got over the first hurdle and are well on our way down the road. I don't think I could have asked for a better Christmas present than to have this part completed and that worry behind us.

Thanksgiving came and went rather uneventfully. As always, we ran around, ate more than one dinner, and got caught in traffic behind an accident. A fairly typical Thanksgiving for the Prather family. I'm looking forward to Christmas although I'll be working both Christmas eve and Christmas day. It seems like there is a more positive feeling to this years Christmas for me. Looking back a year ago, there was a good deal of hurt and self pity. I preferred to sit around and be sad about what we did not have and forgot to remind myself of the great things that I do. This past year has been a complete change. It's as if for the first time in a while, I'm reminded what a wonderful life ours truly is. And I didn't have to wreck my car and spend a night in the snow with an old man named Clarence to figure it out.

Before I end this blog I have to say to those celebrating the festival of lights. May you have a peaceful and joyous season. And if there are any latkes left over please send them my way.