Grandpa Bob...

Grandma & Grandpa Wilson in the tall corn August 2009.

David & me with Grandpa Bob getting our pictures taken with the tall corn. Grandpa insisted on driving us out in the field for these pictures. August 2009

Grandma Rita, Grandpa Bob, and Me.

This was the last time I saw him. Being away from everyone is really hard sometimes. Every time I come back to Iowa I tried to visit Grandma & Grandpa everyday. It was really hard for me to go from seeing them nearly every single day for 20yrs to 2 times a year for the last 7 years. the last handful of times I was back we made sure to take pictures of just me and my grandparents. There are some pretty great ones. My favorite is framed and hanging my living room. I'll post more pictures later.

Dad & Grandpa Bob.

This picture may seem silly or inappropriate to some, but to me it seems like the perfect picture. Grandpa had a good sense of humor and loved to tease. This wasn't lost on any of us. There are many a picture of someone in our family giving someone else bunny ears including grandpa giving himself bunny ears. This picture just seems fitting and it makes me smile.

The church was beautifully decorated for Christmas and with all the flowers for Grandpa it was really lovely.

I was lucky enough to get a peace lily to take home with me. I've been wanting to get some house plants and start a garden out on our patio. Gardening and taking care of plants is very Grandpa Bob like. I only hope that I can do a good job taking care of this lily as Grandpa did with his gardens. I've been told it's an easy 1st house plant and that it will live for years. Every time I look at it or water it I know I will think of him. A friend of mine names all of his house plants and I think it only fitting that we name this lily Grandpa.

After the services there was a lunch for all who wanted to attend.

The Church hall was brimming with people and I know just what Grandpa would say "I'm responsible for all of this." with a big grin on his face showing his pride in all of his accomplishments (especially us, his family).

On Sunday morning I was awoken by a call from my mother with the news. Grandpa had passed away in the night. We all knew it was coming, but it doesn't make it any easier. I started this post last night, but found it more difficult to do than I had originally thought. My cousin Adam beat me to the punch and posted a wonderful blog talking about grandpa and the services. I've chosen to leave a link to Adam's post instead of repeating all that he said. I couldn't have said it better.

Some of my Memories... Grandpa's old pipe, his iconic way of saying Good bye, his favorite sayings "It will put hair on your chest", "It will make your hair curly" (Grandpa, I'm a girl and my hair is wavy enough thanks.), nap times, taking out his teeth, all the animals (especially his pet geese), clocks, lots and lots of clocks, making popcorn on the stove in an old iron skillet, reading, lots of reading, history books, family history, creating, and crafting, ornery grins, great stories, always picking up weird spicy foods while out on vacation to bring back to grandpa (he would eat anything; unlike the rest of us he had an iron stomach), fishing, gardening, pride in what you do and who you are, helping others, stubbornness and putting family 1st.