As I was sitting at Janet's yesterday waiting for her to arrive with something that belonged to her Daddy and watching my kids play in the backyard, I thought to myself, I wonder how different our Sunday afternoons would be if God hadn't needed Grandpa Bob so soon?
When she finally pulled up and my kids were just as excited to see Aunt Janet as they were to see inside this
Budget truck,I wondered if he was laughing at us from Heaven as Phil, Janet and Jim discussed how in the world they were going to get it out of that truck.
I wonder if he wished they would hurry up, so these three kids could sit in it?
I wondered if he ever thought that it would mean the world to his daughter-in-law to see my kids be able to see a part of who he was?
I wanted to ask so badly but didn't have the courage. I wanted to ask Jim (one of Grandpa Bob's good friends) if he ever thinks how different life would be if Bob was still around. The wondering soon stopped because there was a plane to be unloaded.
The wings came out first
Then we recruited Darrin Ross from St. Francis which also made me wonder if Grandpa Bob was laughing because here it is, his plane which started out in Northwest Kansas Sunday morning was now in Wichita, Kansas being carried off of a Budget truck by one of his best friends, who moved to Wichita from Bird City and his son and one of his best friends who knew Jim and Janet from Saint Francis and now lives in Wichita. I wonder if he thought it was crazy that here we were on a Sunday afternoon messing with one of his planes and it was a Sunday afternoon when he decided to make his last flight that took him to his forever home.
Janet entered the cockpit and kept the brake on while these 3 men guided her down the make shift runway.
Where she landed safely
and I'm sure she was thrilled that they did not drop her and the plane off of those planks.
Grandpa Bob's plane has a new temporary home in Aunt Janet's garage, but hopefully soon she will have it all restored and she will be the one that will fly my kids around on Sunday afternoons while Grandpa smiles at them from above.
As I looked at this man through the lens of my camera holding his baby girl, I had to wonder if he ever thought while he was unloading this plane what it would be like if life were different. I didn't have to ask him because I already knew the answer.
I have to wonder while these kids were dreaming of flying in this plane someday with Aunt Janet, will they ever know how much they would have been loved by their Grandpa?
I have to wonder, will either one of them someday follow in his footsteps and learn to fly too?
I have to wonder if Grandpa Bob's is smiling down from above and if he will wave at them someday as they nearly touch the sky!
A part of Grandpa Bob has landed and part of him lives in our hearts and will for generations!
We sure do miss you Grandpa Bob!
