muskmelon & key overalls.

I can be going through life just fine and in one quick moment, the memories flood my mind.

​It can be a pile of muskmelon or cantaloupe.

Having to pull over on the highway to let a John Deere tractor through.

Or seeing an old man in Key overalls.

Today would have been my Grandpa's 90th birthday.

We lost him in March of 2010.

In some ways, it seems like forever ago.

​And in some ways, it seems like yesterday.

Ever since I can remember, I was Grandpa's sweetheart.

I was the first and only granddaughter for several years.

I spent many of my preschool days at Grandpa & Grandma's house, while my parents worked.

When Gerold came along, we played many-a-tennis-ball-baseball game in the back yard.

We took tractor rides during planting and combine rides during harvest.

We went upstairs to get board games out of the small corner storage room and spent many evenings watching MASH from cots on the living room when we spent the night.

We fished with Grandpa and my cousin Brad and when the cousins came from Tennessee, we had picnics in the back of Grandpa's S-10 out in the driveway.

I can still feel his tshirts that I used as a nightgown when I stayed the night.

I can still feel his sloppy wet kisses on the cheek.

I can see the sweet, precious face he made later in life when he got choked up over something and was trying not to cry.

I can hear his tender voice when he was talking to or about Grandma.  He loved her so very much.

I can smell his cologne and see his favorite bow tie on the days he got dressed up for church.

Some people don't ever get to know their grandparents and that is heartbreaking to me.

My life wouldn't be the same without mine.

Happy, happy heavenly birthday, Grandpa Stephens.

​❤️🏡❤️