Grandaddy.

This is my grandaddy. Charles William Ruff. I have thought of him so much recently, but especially today. Nine years ago today he suffered a major stroke that left him unable to speak and paralyzed half of his body.

March 25, 2001 was a Sunday. I remember that weekend so clearly. On Saturday I had taken my nephew for a day out together. He was two at the time.

The picture above is Granddaddy holding Cole Foster on the day he was born... The pride and joy on his face is so apparent... can't you see it? (Total sidebar: please note Granddaddy's tool tie... he was in the hardware business for a majority of his life... many people from little Elberton, GA frequented Charles Ruff Hardware.)

Cole and I ended up in Elberton that day... we went to a softball tournament our cousin Kayla was playing in. Guess who locked her keys in the car. Guess whose mom made the 45 minute drive from Athens to rescue her daughter and grandson? Even now as I look back on the day I see so clearly how God is in the little things.

I spent that day with my Granddaddy... and mom stayed on for dinner as I headed back to Athens to meet some friends... but that day, thanks to keys being locked in a car... mom and I both got to spend the day TALKING and spending time with Granddaddy... little did we know it would be the last day that any of us were able to have Granddaddy speak to us on this side of heaven.

Granddaddy left us for heaven on June 1, 2001. We were all in the hospital room with him. It remains one of the most precious moments of my life... and precious will be the day I meet Jesus and have a sweet reunion with my Granddaddy.