Two Great Blessings this Easter Season.

I don't even know where to start with this blog post. As you know Lauri and I welcomed our daughter into the world on Wednesday at 11:00 am. Earlier that day, I received a phone call that I never expected to get.

As Lauri and I had just gotten into a room at St. John's Hospital in Detroit, I got a message from my parents to call them as soon as I could. It was then that my Mom let me know that her dad, my grandpa, had passed away at 1:02 am that same morning. He was at a Henry Ford Hospital/St Joseph's Macomb on the other side of town.

He had been in the hospital after having a back surgery that we'd all hoped would take some of his pain away. But he would never recover from that surgery. His heart finally stopped working, and he went home to heaven...

So this entire experience of having our first child (Some of our parents first grandchild, and some of our grandparents first great grandchild) has come with a great deal of mixed emotions. I think God gave us Norah the same day we lost my Grandpa so that we would realize all of his great blessings. From the birth of a little miracle, to the eternal life he's given us.

Today we buried my grandpa. We heard a number of people speak to his memory. They spoke about how he was a great servant - from being a highly ranking member of the Detroit Police Reserves (Adjutant Commander, the highest rank a Detroit Police Reservist can reach), to a Boy Scout pack leader, to an active member of his church and community. He lived to serve others. I know he lived to see his children and grandchildren acheive all the blessings this life has to offer. I'll never forget the look on his face when I'd give him great news. When Lauri and I got engaged. When we told him that we were expecting his first great-grandchild. He was always there to give me good advice when I needed it too.

Sorry if I've been rambling here, but I really need to get this off my chest and say how much I'm going to miss him.

Thanks.

Rest in Peace

Claude Hubert Decker