Daddy's hands

    Last Thursday, the 13th of December, our world as we know it lost a very special person.  My grandfather, George, left this earth to spend eternity in a much better place!  If you've talked to any of my family in the past few weeks you already know that he had encountered some setbacks that ultimately resilted in him spending his last few days here in a hospital.  Although his last few days were indeed a struggle, we all know that he is in a better place now and someday he will be reconnected to each of us. 
     George Heinrich was a man like no other!  I have extremely fond memories of my grandpa, like our summer visits to the Adrian valley where all of us kids got to take our turn being grandpas helper for the day.  He would load us up into the truck and make the short, but extremely fast, drive over to the farm where we would spend the day litteraly following in his footsteps!  Now if you knew my grandpa you understand how difficult this could be as not much grass ever grew underneath his feet:)  I can remember following him around as he would work on a piece of equipment, thinking that there is probably nothing he couldn't accomplish.  A true farmer with the gift to just simply make things work, he truly was the handiest man I know!  He would pass along his knowledge to us kids willingly, answering every single one of our many questions, never stopping until we were fast asleep.  My grandpa has many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, so I imagine many of the same questions were answered hundred of times!  This never hindered him form making each story just as compelling every time he'd share them!
     Along with being extremely handy he was an expert craftsmen, if you've seen any of the woodworking projects he's done you know what I mean!  Grandpa took great pride in combining his love for his family with his craftsmenship as each of his grandchildren have recieved one of his masterpieces for wedding gifts.  Some of my fondest memories of grandpa come from watching him carefully turn a piece of ratty old wood into a beautiful piece of art in his Arizona workshop.  From the glass front hutches he built for his grandkids, to houses and barns, there simply wasn't anything he couldn't do!  I too find great joy in building things with my own two hands and each time I do so I think of him and am thaknful of the gifts he has passed on to me.
     My mother and her sister recorded an album many years ago which was titled the Heinrich sisters, easily the best song on that entire album is Daddy's Hands.  Many of us kids still have a copy of that old cassette tape and while listening to that song you can feel the love that both Amy and Georgia have for their father.  When I think about how fortunate all of grandpas children were to have him in their lives for as long as they did I am extremely greatful!  Many people don't have the chance we've all had to connect with their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents!  I think about all of the lives he has touched and I know that each of us who were privelaged enough to know him are very lucky! 
     I know he is up in heaven now, most likely whipping God in a hot game of cribbage, and one day we will all join him.  For now though, all of us who have been taught by him will continue to carry on his legacy, passing on his passion for hard work, along with his love and devotion to family, understanding along the way no matter what we run into in life that we all have one more gaurdian angel looking over us now! 

Remember, no matter how down we get, there is always love in daddy's hands!  We love you grandpa!!