Grandpa Wirkus was my last surviving grandparent. After Grandma Wirkus passed away nearly 10 years ago, I decided I would take my toddler and visit my newly widowed grandparent once a week. We would go to Grandpa's house and eat his ice cream while Rebekah played with his farm and Little People toys.
Sometimes we missed a week because he was sick. Sometimes we missed a week because I was sick. Sometimes we missed a week (or two) because I had had another baby. But most every week, we visited Grandpa.
My girls grew up expecting our weekly visits. They expected to watch PBS, to play with the toys, to read pop-up books, to "ride" the deer statue in the front yard, to play in the "fort" in the back yard (the pick-up's shell sitting behind the shop), to eat ice cream, to eat cookies, to hear Grandpa exclaim "Ach du liebe zeit!" They expected him to hold the latest baby while he rocked in his recliner in the living room and sing "I've a Dear Little Dolly" or one of his German songs.
When Grandpa had a harder time living on his own and moved to Lincoln Court, our visits changed location. We learned about the mints on the front desk; the popcorn, apples, oranges, muffins and/or cookies by the fish tank; the courtyard with the dancing solar statues in the residents' windows; the water dispensers in the hallways. The toys and pop-up books moved with Grandpa, so the girls still ate, visited, read and played while they watched Word Girl or Wild Kratts.
So as my dad told me of Grandpa's passing, I cried a little. But I was smiling as I cried.
Seth got home from work while the tears were in my eyes. He asked me what was wrong, and I mouthed, "Grandpa passed" to him so he could know but the girls wouldn't overhear quite yet. He and I went to our room to talk it over, and we decided we'd center our Family Home Evening lesson around the announcement.
We all cried together as I shared the news of his passing with the girls. Miriam asked for clarification: "Does that mean he died?" We explained that, yes, Grandpa had died. Rebekah tried to be stoic. Analee cried freely. Miriam cried a little at first, then sobbed later on. Winnie, understandably, had a harder time with the concept. At one point, she said, "I think he's still alive."
Seth shared a few scriptures about Heavenly Father's plan for us, and I was able to testify to the girls that I know we'll see Grandpa again someday. We discussed how Grandpa, free from his elderly body, could see, hear and run again. We talked about how he is with his wife, parents and most of his siblings now.
Then we went around the room and shared something we liked about Grandpa and something we'll miss.
Miriam said she liked his candy, TV and cookies. Analee said she liked how nice he was. Rebekah said she liked how he loved holding babies and that she'll miss hearing him sing to them. Seth said he liked his stories and playing the guitar for him. I told the girls that, before I started taking them for visits, I used to visit my grandparents every Sunday we could and ate ice cream, watched TV and visited with them.
I was able to collect pictures from family members to create the slide show that played at the viewing on Friday. It's been wonderful to see the photos and place them to music. As I watch what I call the "Erwin and Marie" segment of the slide show, I tear up. When I cried during my first viewing of it, Seth asked, "Why are you crying?" I explained, "I'm so happy for them."
We'll miss Grandpa. It will be different for us now that we don't go to his house or apartment for our weekly visit. But I'm grateful for the time we had with him and that my girls could get to know their great-grandpa.
Miriam and Winnie walking with Grandpa Wirkus down the hall at Lincoln Court.