Anna Patten
I had the amazing privilege to live and stay with my grandpa 3 years ago for about 6 months. We had an amazing time, i got to take care of him and watch over him. We were like two peas in a pod and fought like a married couple! LITERALLY :D We slept in every morning (every teenager's dream)! woke up, made him breakfast (oatmeal and toast, or pancakes if i was feeling fancy) he sat in his chair and stared at the blank wall (still don't understand why he did it) but it was his favorite thing to do. then we would go see ruthie almost every single day. we would walk over there at like 2 miles per hour and it drove me nuts, but i'll always remember him pointing out trees to me that i could climb (and of course i would try and climb them while he sat back and just laughed as i would literally fall out of tree's attempting to climb them) it's the little things and memories i remember and always will. but a few speak out to me, they are quite hilarious if you ask me.
It was halloween and i went trick or treating with one of my best friends who lives in florida and came back with a whole bunch of candy. I was in heaven, my grandpa was not. he was mad at me because of all the candy. so i put it in a shoebox and stashed it in my closet so he couldn't find it. One day when i was sleeping he tip toed into my bedroom walked into my closet grabbed the shoe box of candy and walked back to his chair. I woke up to the sound of candy wrappers being opened. i walked into the living room with my grandpa in his chair and my box of candy (that he was so mad i had) in his lap and candy wrappers on his side table. I couldn't help but laugh as he had chocolate all over his face and hands. We made it a thing after every meal we would bring out the box of candy and he would pick a few pieces and so would i and watch the big bang theory. Which was his favorite shows to watch. He would ask me every day if it was on, and i would say no grandpa it doesn't come on until 7 we have to eat dinner first. That was something we shared, a love for candy and the big bang theory. (we liked it for different reasons. grandpa liked it for the sex jokes)
Another story and this is probably my favorite. Was when i was laying in my bedroom and my phone fell under the bed and i couldn't reach it. So i climbed under the bed and literally got stuck. I tried to wiggle and squeeze out but i couldn't i was stuck. So i called for my grandpa who walked into the room and started to tickle my feet. At the time i didn't think it was funny because i was stuck, but my 87 year old grandpa at the time is pulling/yanking on my legs and trying to get me unstuck. this lasted for about a half an hour of me trying to get out from under the bed until my grandpa finally lifts up the bed and i climb out. I turn to him and he has a huge smile on his face and just says. "I feel like the incredible hulk." I couldn't stop laughing.
it's the little situations me and my grandpa got ourselves into that made me smile. He was a wonderful man and did so much for me, and living with him taught me a lot. One he's just like my father, both stubborn and hard headed. But both know how to make me smile. The things my grandpa had to put up with, i forever thank him. He truly made me a better person. I loved to make his hair into a mohawk, buying him stuff he didn't need, but ended up loving. We taught each other a lot, i kept him young and hip and he kept me grounded. Words can't describe how much i love and am going to miss him. He was and always will be an amazing man, and i loved to hear his stories. (even though most of them inappropriate yet hilarious to the both of us) he still made me into a better person, and i know for a fact he's in a better place. He's hopefully reunited with his loved ones and is happy. I'll never forget him, and i'll always love him.
& want to thank my dad, (John Patten) and my Aunt kathy and Cousin jessica & her husband Dario for helping take care of grandpa,
<3 Anna