Norman Douglas Price, my Grandpa

I was out of town Wednesday am-Sunday pm (I'll post about that next). When I landed, I turned on my phone and saw a message from Kylee. I was afraid of what it was, and I was right. My grandpa, Poppy Cream, as we called him, had passed away at 5:30pm. I was sitting on a plane full of strangers and couldn't stop the tears from flowing.
He was called Poppy Cream for a very special reason. Starting when I was one year old, every Tuesday he would come and take me down the street for ice cream. Just he and I, our own little date. So when I finally started talking, that's what I called him, Poppy Cream. He was a quiet man, with a gravely voice. He always had a bushy mustache and I loved it on him. He was an amazing photographer, and being the first grandchild, I was his favorite subject. He was kind and gentle and loving.

I was lucky enough to see him last February, when I was pregnant with Rachel. He lived in Apple Valley, California, so we stopped and saw him on our way home from Disneyland. He was much older and more fragile than I had ever remembered him. He had had heart problems since I was very young, but he had battled cancer the last year. He was doing well, but the last few months were harder. He took a turn for the worse this last week. My mom flew down to be with him on Thursday. I thought I had a few more days, to get home from my trip and make that phone call. I never got to talk to him, to say a final good-bye. I know he knew how much I loved him, though. He will be missed more than I can say.