A day in the life of...

one thing you need to understand about Grandpa Showalter, if you don't already, is that he's generally serious. life is serious. we have responsibilities, we should take things seriously and at times, somberly. He's just a sober person. don't get me wrong, Grandpa does laugh, he does enjoy humor, he smiles, he is kind and gentle. but for the most part, he's pretty serious.

yesterday afternoon and evening, when he seemed to have made a conscious decision that his time was near, he started smiling, a lot. he was almost chipper. he was at peace. there was a sense of giddyness in him. unlike I've seen in years, if ever. something had switched.

this morning, he's up, he's in his chair. he's had something to eat. and, his blood pressure is back down to normal. he slept all night and with the lowering of his BP, he seems to be feeling just a bit better. but the grin, that smile on his face, the excitement exuding from him? its still there. he knows his time is near and he's excited. he's so ready to see Jesus.

these last 48 hours or so have been absolutely incredible for me. we really don't know when exactly Grandpa will go see Jesus. thats not something we can predict, but as he is preparing, anticipating, getting ready for that moment, its like we get to stand there on the edge of heaven with him. it must be one of the sweetest things. I could have chosen to stay in Alaska, to not change much, to not quit my job, to not make the big move, to sit in apprehension of the future and not take the plunge into the unknown. but I didn't. and now? now I get these precious, precious moments with two of the most amazing people I've known in my life. I get to soak in their grace and wisdom, the love they have for each other, the love they have for Jesus. I get to experience something great.