Missing "Pop-Pop"

My father-in-law was such a sweet and gentle soul.  I never called him by his name, Larry, I always called him, "Pop-Pop."  It 's been seven years this month that he passed away.  He was in World War II where he played the saxophone and was a cook.  My father-in-law made the best pork chops and turkey stuffing I have ever eaten in my life.  When my in-laws would visit us from Cleveland, I would treat "Pop-Pop" like a king.  I would always make him french toast and we would linger so long over breakfast that it would almost be time for lunch by the time we were done talking.  To this day, whenever I eat french toast I think of him!!  The picture below was when Lauren was a baby and we were celebrating one of his birthdays.  The whole time I knew him he always looked the same, he never aged! Wish I could say the same for myself!  Check out my HUGE glasses :)

He spent the last three months of his life in the hospital with heart problems.  I remember sitting by his bedside and I would be nursing my son at the same time.  He passed when Dominic was about 9 months old.   I feel so blessed that he got to meet Dominic!! My Dominic was named after my father-in-law's father whose name was also  Dominic.  Pop-Pop also had a brother named Dominic.  I guess you could say the name kind of runs in the family!! When my stepson was younger, my father-in-law would "wrestle" with him until my stepson would say, "Pop-Pop, I give up!"  He would have been incredibly proud to see how well my stepson has done in his career.  Pop-Pop was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and father-in-law.  I particularly miss him this time of year because he had a "green thumb" and we would compare the progress of our respective gardens each Spring/Summer.  He and I would "talk tomatoes."   His tomatoes were always so much bigger and juicier than mine.  He told me the "secret" was mothballs in the dirt. The watering can below belonged to my father-in-law.

I read sometimes how people don't get along with their in-laws.  I can probably count on one hand how many times I didn't get along with my father-in-law.  It was very rare.  I feel honored and glad I had such a super father-in-law!!  He was truly very special to me.