Hospitals and Ikea

I went to the hopsital today. Hospitals are not the happiest place to be. you see the RN's and CNA's and they have these fake, yet somewhat sincere, smiles on their faces, trying to act like everything is going to be okay, when you know that they aren't. It is their job to pretend. They are the grand masters of pretending. Everyone knows this.

My grandpa was diagnosed with bone cancer today. A few years ago he was treated for prostate cancer and the doctors believe the cancer metastasized into his bones. He is so frail on the outside, yet so strong in his mind and heart. How he lives with the pain that he has from day to day is something I will, hopefully, never know. I look up to him and the courage he has.

Yesterday, I went to see grandpa with my brother Tyler. We talked with him, and of course, he told us stories. I love the stories he tells though. They always have a moral to them and they always inspire me to be better than I am. But, before we were about to leave, grandpa started talking to us about our grandma. She was in the room, but was listening intently, no doubt with tears in her eyes. He told us how much he loved her. It was the sweetest moment I have experienced in a long time. I hope that I have as strong of a bond and love with my spouse as my grandparents have for each other. The sincerity in his voice was overwhelming and I just felt his love for my grandma. After 50 years of marriage they still truly love each other, and that is something you do not find very often these days.

My grandpa is a sweetheart. Today he had a physical therapy session, so Megan (my cousin) and I waited outside his room till he was done. I could hear him tell the man after every exercise "Thank you so much" and "Thank you for your help, I really appreciate you." I guess that when you get to that point in your life, you know that the little things that people do really mean the most. I continually have a prayer in my heart that my grandpa will be healed, but I know that it is ultimately not up to me or anyone else who prays or gives him blessings. It is up to my Father in Heaven. Whether my grandpa's time is up here on earth or not, I know that he lived a full life. He has the stories and wisdom to show it, and not only that, but the testimony. Everyday when I leave the hospital, grandpa looks me in the eye and says "I am very proud of you." He will never really know how much those five words mean to me. The funny thing is, I hope he really is proud of me. I hope I have lived up to his standards and made him proud to be my grandfather. I know that I am so proud to be his grand-daughter. I couldn't have asked for a better example than him.

If anyone knows my grandfather, they know he is the hardest working man. When he puts his mind to something he does not stop until he has succeeded. I love that about him. I love that he is honest and true in all that he does. I love that he never lets anyone down and even though he was strict with us when we were little, he is now one of my best friends, someone I know I can count on and go to for advice. I love him with all my heart.



Megan and I also went to Ikea for the first time today. It was a dream. The store is a palace full of everything one would need for their home. I went to town in the bed section, grabbing quilt covers and sheets galore! I had heard so much about it, and although a little skeptical and how great it would be, I found myself smiling from ear to ear with anticipation as I entered the miles and miles of Ikea disneyland. The really cool thing about Ikea is there is a restaurant/cafeteria inside. I had the Swedish Meatballs, and to tell you the truth they werent that bad. They weren't amazing by any means, but they weren't bad. It was a good experience to say the least. The model rooms that they have set up on the top floor of the warehouse are fabulous. If someone could put a closet together for me the way they have closets set up there, I would be SO much more organized. It is amazing the wonderful things they have on display. Everything you could imagine. The beds were beautiful and put together in all sorts of different fashions. I liked the Victorian style. They have a lot of modern/European styles that I envy.

Today was a good day. Tonight will be a good night. Every day gets a little harder, but that is what makes us stronger. My grandpa always tells me "If it is to be, it is up to me." I try to live with that attitude.

mo