A hug from Grampa John

One of the toughest parts about welcoming Owen to our family has been knowing that he'll never know my Dad.  Dad would have been an incredible grandfather, as he was to his step-grandchildren; he was so fun-loving, goofy and imaginative.  Any sense of proper decorum (which he didn't have much commitment to anyway!) dissolved as soon as a kid entered the room.  I've been thinking about how I'll "introduce" Owen to his late Grampa as he grows, but still wanting to create some sort of connection between them now as he's meeting all of his other grandparents and family. 

My friend, Lindsey, takes beautiful photos and offered to do a shoot with Owen while he is still little.  I was rummaging around the house looking for props to use or places to photograph him, and spotted my dad's LL Bean bags in the top of a rarely-used closet.  He hardly ever ventured out of town without one of these, and they made countless trips to our cottage filled with treats.  Over the years, the bags, especially the older blue one, have become well-loved; soft, frayed, flexible, and covered with stains that give them character. 

We propped Owen up in the bag for some photos, and watching him, I felt like he was getting a big hug from his Grampa John.  We had him in there for way too long on a too hot day, but he barely fussed and lifted his head up for the longest he has yet.  Dad was certainly frayed and broken-in, and he sometimes stayed away for too long, but he always had some goodies up his sleeve and his hugs were always full of love.  I hope that I will be able to carry on even a fraction of Dad's enthusiasm and share the love I know he is sending down to his grandson with him.