Smiles and Sadness

Yesterday was a happy and a sad day in the Ng household. I shared the "happy" on the blog yesterday, because I am so blessed to be a mommy to my beautiful little girl. But today, I need to share the "sad." Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my Grandpa Syfert's death. It was a difficult time for my entire family, and it is still hard to believe that he is no longer with us. I spoke with my dad yesterday, and we both said that we still expect him to come through the door...

Grandpa and Grandma Syfert lived down in Florida, but they would come up once a year (in the summer, when it was warm!) to visit us in New York. My Grandpa was an amazing man who always had a story to share, loved to play cards, and thought that no meal was complete unless it ended with ice cream. (That last trait is genetic, I'm sure, because I feel the same way!)

My Grandpa had Alzheimer's, which made the end of his life very difficult. He suffered from many physical effects of the illness, and it was hard for family and friends to see him in pain and to realize that he no longer recognized most of the people who loved and cared for him. But, every so often, you could see the light of recognition in his eyes, and you knew that, even if he couldn't remember your name, he knew that you loved him. And we love him still.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8: 38-39