Happy Birthday Bubba!

I grew up with two amazingly different grandfathers.  While Grandpa Cox lived eight hours away and we only saw him occasionally, my other grandfather, who we refer to as Bubba, always lived just the next neighborhood over, then next door, and now in the very same house.

Bubba has always been intricately involved in our lives, from teaching us how to ice skate and my brothers how to drive ( my dad got the lucky job of teaching me :o), to endlessly helping us with school projects....he is a genius in construction.

And I love the story of his life, how by the age of 5 both of his parents had died, and he was raised by his Aunt in New York City and he joined up with the Coast Guard when he came of age. Then stationed on Cape Cod, he met my grandmother at a dance and they both knew after that one night they were right for each other even though he was slightly inebriated and both of them lacked dancing skills.

Bubba is a man that has always worked hard and loved deeply. I have seen him persevere through a stroke and the onset of macular degeneration... I am so thankful for his strength and faith and I can only hope for him many more long years with us. Today makes me wish I was home so I could sing him happy birthday and eat cake along with the family, but I know they will celebrate it up right!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBA!!!!