Grandpa, there's so many things I wish I could say to you and see your reaction to. But unfortunately you passed away when I was two years old. It's been 17 years since you passed away, as crazy as it seems. I hope you would be proud of me. Mom, Grammy, and Austyn say you would be. That's another thing I wish you were here for. I wish you were here to meet Austyn. Mom says that you would like him. I really hope you would have. He wants to be in the police force after being in the military. I think you would have liked that about him.

I wish you were here to help me with problems I have in school, my social life, and just every day issues. I wish you were able to sit right next to Grammy and watch me graduate high school, I wish you were able to meet Austyn, I wish I was able to call you and talk to you if I needed someone to talk to. I know that if you were still here I definitely would not have the attitude that I have today. I know that you wouldn't put up with that. I know that my current attitude would not fly. I know some people who also have an attitude that would not fly with you. I think Grammy has done a pretty good job of making up for your absence in those situations. Mom got her a new cane recently so that should be fun.

Let me update you on what's happened recently, in case you were busy hanging out with Aunt Kathy and Uncle Rich and didn't catch some things that slipped by. I'm in my second year at Keuka College, Robby is in his first year at Alfred State, Caroline and Mark both graduated Kutztown University, Billy just had a son, Eddie just had a daughter, Dawn now has 5 kids, Uncle John now has 6, Buddy and his girlfriend just bought a house, and Grammy is doing well.

I know that if you were here you would probably be watching golf on the tv, sitting in your favorite chair, and eating 2 scoops of chocolate ice cream after dinner. I still call chocolate ice cream "Grandpa ice cream" because it was your favorite and we would sit there at eat it together after dinner. I had one scoop and you had two.

I miss you Grandpa and I wish you were still alive. But I know that you're still here in spirit and I love that.

I love and miss you, Grandpa – we all do.