Grandaddy

Today my Grandaddy took his last breath. Yesterday I never thought I'd be doing a post like this, so it is hard. I haven't seen my Grandaddy since the summer of 2008, it wasn't that long ago, but now it seems like way too long. I am so thankful he got to meet Aaron and see the man I fell in love with. We took Taylynn to meet him when she was 6 months old, and then once more when Preston was born. So I am thankful he got to meet them, but I am sad they won't remember it, or really know him. I find myself praying for good memory so I can tell them about the wonderful, smart, humorous man he was.

Our last trip there I lost all my pictures, but the trip before I took some wonderful video of Taylynn and her Great Grandaddy.

Taylynn just watched this video and said "awww, thats so beautiful, can I watch it again?" So we watched it again. And we'll watch it 10 more times if she wants.


I won't be going to the funeral. I have spent the whole day trying to find a flight, at first it was finding one under or around $400. Then the issue was finding one at all. I called three Kansas City airlines and they all were booked for the next three days, which includes the day of the funeral. I could drive, but from here it would be 15 hours, and doing that while pregnant and with two toddlers, would be let just say unpleasant.
I want to be there, but I can tell when God wants me to stay put. We'll probably plan a trip late summer after the baby is born to go see family and visit my Grandaddy and Grandmother's graves.
I am blessed for the time I had with him, he really was an amazing man.


Here is his obituary:

Harry Joseph Baldwin, 86, of Doraville died on March 12, 2010. Born on April 25, 1923 in Atlanta, he was the son of the late Kelsie James and Nellie Smith Baldwin. He is preceeded in death by his wife Mae Evelyn Mason Baldwin and brothers Kelsie and John Baldwin and sister Dorothy Parham Stecher.

Harry graduated from Tech High in 1943. He served in the Navy, PATSU 1-3 and as an Aviation Cadet. He graduated from the University of Georgia majoring in Landscape Architecture in 1949. He was employed by Martini Assoc., Atlanta; Liles, Bissett, Carlyle & Wolf, Columbia, SC; Bartholomew & Assoc., Atlanta. Mr. Baldwin took over Martini's business in 1965 and the firm became know as Baldwin Associates, Inc. He practiced landscape architecture until 2005.

His scope of work included numberous apartment complexes, office parks and subdivisions in Atlanta and the southeast, DeKalb Co. Parks, West Georgia College Master Plan, Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Rankin Smith, Jr. residence, Bald Ridge Marina, Shepherd Spinal Center, Ft. Eustis Virginia Army Base and the Falcon Training Center during his 62 year career. Mr. Baldwin was a fellow in the American Society of Landscape Architects, former President of the Georgia Society of Landscape Architects, and Distinguished Alumni from the University of Georgia. He was a charter member of the Atlanta Urban Design Commission.

He is survived by son Bob Baldwin and wife Deb of Bentonville, AR; daughters Nanette Robinson and husband Will of Franklin, TN and Lynn Briggs and husband Jeff of Cumming. He leaves behind seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren, as well as brothers Douglas and Tom Baldwin