An introduction..." I have asked my Opa to write this because I can't write yet. I can't even read yet, but I'm learning new things every day. By the way, my name is Mikey and I'm six and I'm smart. Right, Opa?"
Wed. 09/25/2113
"Hi Opa. It's me, Mikey. Can I come up to your office?"
"Sure Mikey, come on up."
“Hey, I know who that is on your computer? That’s your Dad, my Dad and you. Boy, I sure wish I could have seen Grandpa to say goodbye before he went to heaven. You, too, right, Opa?”
“That’s for sure Mikey, me too.” I cried, thinking about it after he left.
“Hey Mikey, look what I saved for you, your fifty dollar bill. Remember that? I keep it closeby and I rub it now and then.”
“…Why,Opa?”
“Because when I rub it, it feels soft and cuddly and I think of someone special. Know who that could be?”
“…Who, me? Oh, I knew that.”
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“Goodbye, Opa. I’ll see you soon.”
“Give me a big hug before you go.”
“I want to stay here forever and ever.”
“Mikey, forever is a very long time.”
“Oh, I know that, but you know what? I don’t care about that.”
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Sat. 09/28/13
…..At my mom’s house……
“I can only have one chocolate a day, just one.” “Would you like a Chip’s Ahoy cookie?”
“Sure, but I can only have one chocolate a day.”
“Would you like two cookies?”
“But I can only have one chocolate a day. Would two cookies be one chocolate a day?”
“Would you like three cookies, Mikey?”
“But I can only have one chocolate a day; I’ll take two cookies. Is two cookies still only one chocolate a day?”
“Yes, Mikey.”
“Oh, thanks God!”
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“Goodbye Opa, see ya next time. I love you.”
“I love you Mikey. See you soon." ................................................................
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Wed. 10/09/13
"Hi Opa; it's me, Mikey."
"Hi Mikey. Today is our special day, right? Hey, let's go pick apples, wanna?"
"Nah, I kinda want to watch this cartoon?"
His Dad must have talked him into it. I walked outside and waited patiently. I knew what would happen. So...we were picking up apples and...
"Opa, you just hit me in the leg with an apple. But that's ok; the first time, it's on accident, but the second time, it's not. Right, Dad?"
“Dad, it hurts bad. Is it bad? Look for me.”
“No Mikey, it’s not bad. Want me to kiss it for you?”
“Nah, I’m ok. I’m six and I’m big.”
“Dad, when you climb up in that tree and you get ready to shake it, be very, very careful. Opa, move back; way back. Dad is getting ready.” Mikey grabs my arm and pulls me backward. “Ok Opa, stand right there. That’s far enough.”
“Dad, I just put that bag of apples down in deer poop. I’m not touching it now. You pick it up.
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“Opa, I really love it here. I wish I could have a sleep-over. No, I wish I could have three sleep-overs. No wait, I wish I could have infinity sleep-overs.”
“Yeah, me too, Mikey.” His Dad concurred in the background.
“We’ll see you in two days, I hope. We’re going camping for three days!”
“Oh, good, I love camping.”
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Columbus Day weekend camping: Fri. 10/11/13
“Opa, I can run faster than a jet,wanna see?”
“Mikey, you can’t run faster than a jet.”
“Well...I can run just as fast as a jet. Watch me.”
“Yup, I think it was a tie.”
We were playing at the playground and I tried to get him to climb up as high as me: “...But Opa, I’m afraid a heights. It’s my worstest nightmare!”
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Sat. 10/12/13
“Anybody wanna play Slam the Jack?”
“What’s Slam the Jack, Mikey?”
“You know, you slam the Jacks when you deal out the cards.”
“Do you mean Slap Jack?”
“That’s it, Slap the Jack.”
Mikey was getting ready for bed...
“Opa, careful with those hugs and kisses. Your beard feels like a cactus, right Oma?”
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Sun. 10/13/13
“Opa, take me to the bathroom. I have to go poop.”
a little later...”Did you wipe your butt?”
“Yup, and I made four poops, two big ones and two small ones. No...actually, one giant one, one big one and two small ones. Opa, my first poop is always an explosive poop. Is yours,Opa?” (I was laughing so hard I could not reply.)
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Fri. night 11/1/13
We were talking a about cats and dogs…
“Opa, do you like cats better or dogs better?”
“I like dogs better.”
“Well, I like cats better.”
“Oh, yeah, you had a cat, right? What was his name? No, let me guess. Give me a hint, give me the first letter.”
“Le Le.”
“Lover, right? What happened to him?”
“He got runned over. That darn cat!”
Sat. morning 11/2/13
Mikey is getting ready to go back to his grandma’s house…
“Mikey, I don’t want you to go. I want you to stay here.”
“I know,opa, but you’ll always be in my heart.
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Sun. 11/10/13
Mikey’s dad and I took Mikey and my other 2 grandsons to Jumping Jake’s, an indoor play area. Then we went to MacDonald’s for lunch. After that we took them back to Jake’s and then to the pet store…
“Opa, pick me up. I’m tired.” …as we headed toward the check-out to pay for the cat treats.
“Opa, it’s rising up.”
“What do you mean, Mikey? What’s rising up?” Mikey proceeded to puke all over me and the floor, again, again and yet again. You could tell he drank chocolate milk. That color is unmistakable.
“Opa, I told you it was rising up. Don’t you know what rising up means? Look, I frowed up all over the place.” …he started to cry.
“Mikey, it’s OK. Sometimes things just happen. The nice man will clean it all up. Don’t worry.” Then his dad came over and assured him that things would be OK.
“…But Dad, I frowed up. Call Oma and Grandma.
“OK, Mikey, I`ll call Oma first so she can bring us some clean clothes for you.”
Oma came to the pet store with a clean change of clothing. We went to the Men’s Room to get cleaned up. “Opa, you still have puke on your shirt. Look Dad, you missed some. Do a good job, Dad. Opa, you need a new shirt.”
“Mikey, I’ll be OK. A little throw up doesn’t bother me. I’ll change when we get home.
Leaving the restroom….“Opa and Dad, I’m never going to Jumping Jack’s again. But we can still go to MacDonald’s, right?”
Now at the register…talking to the check-out guy…”I guess you saw all that?” Things happen.”
“Yeah, it was kinda cute…but it was also disgusting.”
Mon. 11/11/13
Mikey’s grandma had just gotten to the house to take him back home…
“Hi Grandma. I’m sick. I frowed up yesterday. I guess that means I won’t be going to school tomorrow, right Grandma?”
“Are you OK now, Mikey?” He shakes his head yes. “I wouldn’t want you to miss school then.”
“…I tried. Goodbye Oma. Goodbye Opa. See you next time. I love you.
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Sun. 12/29/13
We were bringing Mikey back to his grandmother's
house, we had just gotten into the car, when
Mikey said… (he is still only six years old)
"Opa, you and Oma fight a lot. Well…not really
fight…I mean…argue.You shouldn’t shout so much.
You have to try to remain calm.”
"Okay Mikey, we will try to do that."
"Opa, try to remember what I said. You know you
forget a lot. Oma,remember, I have my eye on you.
I will be watching. Don't forget,Opa."
" Oma and Opa, I love you. See you soon…
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Tues 01/02/14
I decided to call Mikey to see how he was doing.
We are having a nice conversation on the phone
when this came up…
"What have you been doing lately Mikey?"
"Opa, I am learning how to meditate."
"Oh yeah, that's really something, whose teaching
you to meditate?"
"No one is teaching me Opa, I am learning it all
by myself. I'm learning on the television."
“Could you explain it to me? I would like to
learn how to meditate."
"Opa, listen to me. I will teach you. First,
close your eyes. No, no, no, wait, not yet. If
you do, you'll bump into something. First, find
a quiet place and try to remain calm. Sit in a
relaxed position and close your eyes. No wait, I
forgot about music. Put on some calming music,
it will help you relax. Okay, now you can close
your eyes. I want you to repeat something over
and over, something that will help you to stay
calm, like ‘Ommmm’. Keep repeating that over and
over. And that's how you meditate, Opa.”
"Thank you Mikey. I need that kind of stuff. I'm
glad you taught me and I will listen.”
"Opa, remember the other day in the car?
Meditation will help you to relax. I have my eye
on you, Opa."
"Thank you Mikey I love you. I'll see you soon.”
"Okay Opa, love you too.”
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Mon. 4/28/14
Unfortunately, Mikey's great grandma passed away on Thur. the 24th. We were getting things ready for the wake and we had just told Mikey's that hid Grandma passed on. He came over to me and he whispered... “Opa, I have to tell you something. Your Mom passed out.” Then on a collage he wrote on the bottom, "I hope you have a good time in heaven.” Several of the family had a tear in their eye. A six-year-old said what we all wanted to say but could not.
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Thur. 5/1/14
The day before Mom's funeral, we went to the cemetery to visit Dad and Mikey asked me if he could talk to his great grandfather. He stood in front of the stone and talked to Dad...
"Grandpa, it's me, Mikey. I just want to tell you that Grandma's on the way. look for her, don't give up. You'll find her there. Oh, before I forget, Grandma, you look for Grandpa. he's waiting for you. You'll find him. Keep looking til you do. I love you Grandma and Grandpa.
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Sat 5/10/14
We celebrated Mikey's birthday a few days early as he turned 7 on the 13th. I gave Mikey a few small presents that day, little things that I know he loves. He looked at me, came over and gave me a big hug and whispered to me, "Opa, I love these little things the best but don't tell anyone, ok?"
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Sat. 6/7/14
We had just returned from our trip to Holland and Italy. Of course we both missed Mikey very much during that time and we had no way to contact him.
So that Saturday we saw Mikey for the first time in a long time. He rushed over to me and flung himself into my arms. And he cried. So I said, with a tear in my eye, "It's ok, Mikey, why are you crying?" He hugged me harder and said,"Opa, these are tears of joy!"
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