John Robert Turner

I wanted to write a little about my grandfather so everyone would see how wonderful he was and how much he meant and still means to me even though he is no longer with us.

It's been two weeks since my grandpa died (those of you who didn't know he died on Easter Sunday at 10 am at RiverPark). My family and myself were all in the ICU unit watching my Papa take his last breath. That is the hardest thing to watch is someone you love so much to pass away and you watch. I stayed in a numbing state of mind that whole week and my boss(thanks Jen!!) was very understanding and allowed me to be off all week. It was so hard on me that week; It's still rough for me when I go over to see my granny and realizing that he isn't there. It's even harder when I call to check on granny(because I always try to call every evening or morning or both) knowing that he is not there but deep inside expecting him to answer the phone because he always did. :) But i know that he is in a better place and I am thankful for that. He was a wonderful man. He was born in Grundy County on May 5, 1923 and he enlisted in the Navy from '42-'46 and was pretty much a rebel. I have heard so many stories it's unreal at all the things he did. In all his naval pictures he would wear his hat crooked to the side. That's how we could easily pick him out of a picture. He loved to talk about religion and politics, but I hated discussing it with him because he was deaf and would run a person over with words before they ever knew it. That is one of my fondest memories of him is eating supper over at their house and he would start ranting about one or the other subjects with his hearing aid off. Me and Granny would just laugh about it and roll our eyes. My mama could put him in his place though(that is if he turned his hearing aid on). He loved to build birdhouses too. He would come up with some of the neatest ideas for a birdhouse and build it just off the top of his head. Him and Granny worked together at it. He would let us help and say "Sissy (that's what he called me) hammer right here" or "Sissy come hold this while i glue this on here" (he ended up gluing me to one of the birdhouses one time). :) His workshop is the only place that I haven't lingered in because there are too many memories for me to handle all at one time.

He loved to fish and be outside. He helped teach me and my sister how to fish along with my daddy's help too. We use to go everywhere as long as we were fishing off the shore. I don't remember ever seeing Papa on a boat...... One of his "chores"(more like a hobby hehe) that he did was mow the lawn. He was mowing the lawn once or twice a week sometimes more than that. We would joke that him and his neighbor were competing to see who could mow the dirt...:).......But he loved being outside if at all possible. He also loved to read and went to the library once a week as far back as I can remember. His favorite author was Louis L'Amour, but he would read any western he could get his hands on. He loved us kids as well. He was 67 when the last grandchild (Holly) was born, and up until this past Christmas he would get in the floor and play with all the grand and great-grand children. He had emphysema, but never once did I see it get him down. Never. He went walking at Wal-Mart every morning until he got tired of all the crazy people and stopped.

Me and him talked all night the night he was put in the hospital. He told me things I has no idea about and told me he was ready to go home. I knew what he meant when he said 'home'. That was the night before they put him in ICU. He was one of the strongest men I have ever known and it's hard because this happened so fast and he never showed any signs up until he fell the Wednesday before they put him in at RiverPark. He busted his head and had 31 stitches put in. He wasn't the same after that. But I will always be proud to call him my Papa because he was always there when no one else was to pick us up and put us back on our feet. He was there to make us smile and laugh when we were sad or just to make our day brighter. He loved talking to all of us and to hear from us everyday. He was important and I tried to let him know how important he was to me. Just as I let my Granny know. I just hope that it gets easier to let go.......

He will never be forgotten by me, my husband, parents, sister, or my son or any other member of our family and friends. Bryson was his last great-grandbaby (the 13th) and Papa loved him so very much as he also loved the others. I won't let Bryson forget him. He played a large role in my life and I want him to play a big role in my son's life because of how great a man he was.

In Remembrance of

John Robert Turner (85)

May 5, 1923-April 12, 2009

We love you Papa and your memory

will never be forgotten.

Sissy

Bryson's First Tooth

I know I just posted, but this had to have it's own seperate post!!! Bryson has finally cut his first tooth and yes I had a few tears spill!!! He also learned to clap so when I looked at him and said "YAY!! You got a tooth" he grinned (everyone knows how he grins, two dimples and all) and started clapping then squealed (we also know who he learned that from.....). And right after he squealed he made a little grunt noise and dove to bite my arm...which now that he has a tooth hurts a lot worse. lol I couldn't get a picture; I could just feel the top that had already come through. I have a feeling though that he will cut a lot more soon because his gums are so swollen!! He will be 9 months tomorrow too!!! Anyway.....so me and Bryan are very happy and can't wait for Bryson to do the next little thing.....or can I? I haven't decided that yet....lol

One of those things.....

As all my friends know, my papa has been in the hospital since Friday morning and well I have had that on my mind all weekend. He has been going back and forth from recovering to going back downhill so I ask that everyone please pray for him. I have had to hold it together for my mom and aunts while I'm around them because they need me to lean on, but I haven't had the chance (until this evening) to let it all go and Sunday was the day I needed to let it all go but I couldn't. Bryson had followed me into the laundry room right after I finished cleaning up my kitchen from where Bryan and my brother in law had been cutting out cabinets to install a dishwasher. I thought that I had everything picked up and thrown away, but obviously I didn't. Bryson (as all babies will) found a piece of the top layer of a cabinet and decided that it looked tasty so he swallowed it. All I heard was screaming, so I grabbed him and tried to figure out what was wrong (because at the time I had no idea that he had swallowed anything. I had my back turned putting towels in the wash.) He started coughing and slightly choking but at the same time he was still crying. We rushed him to Riverpark and about 1/2 mile from the hospital he coughed and sputtered and out came the wood. My adrenaline was pumping through my body and I was scared to death. Bryan was too. So now we are watching every time he goes for something just to make sure he doesn't see something that we don't and trust me, little ones will see stuff you missed and more than likely will eat it; and no matter how well you watch them, they will eat stuff you don't want them to eat. But needless to say I about had a breakdown last night because I needed to cry, but couldn't and all my papa would say was that he wanted to die......so my little britches added to everything. As of now though my papa is doing ok. They got him to drink a little water with help and is resting better. Bryson is wonderful. You never would have known the child had anything happen Sunday. We just have to take whatever God gives us and takes away and trust in him to know whats best for us. My grandmother always tells me "When it rains, it pours!", and she is so right!