Mark's Granddad Filleman

Our family with Granddad and Jeanette in April of 2008

Last week Mark's Granddad Harold Filleman died.  This has been a sad loss for their family.  I didn't get the opportunity to spend tons of time with him in the five years I have been in their family but I know he was a very sweet man who held a very special place in my husband's heart.  He will be missed very much.

There is something about this picture that I love.  This was taken in June 2007 and was the first time that Granddad met Parker.  I think that Harold representing the 'history' of this family that I love so much and this picture of his hand in Parker's with Buzz's (Mark's dad) hand around Parker is just sweet to me - all the generations.  I think that he really liked seeing the boys.  The last time that the boys got to spend time with him he was in Phoenix for a week while Jeanette had surgery in Tucson.  I remember thinking how sweet it was for him to sit at the kitchen table at Buzz and Billie's house and interact with Parker while he colored and played with play dough.  I wish that the boys would have had more time to get to know him but I am grateful for the memories and pictures that we do have. 

Mark and his Granddad had a sometime sarcastic relationship.  It was like Mark brought his humor out just by walking in the room.  They always took playful jabs at each other when we would first start the visit.