Life with the Normans: My Precious Pops

For 29 years, I have had the privilege and blessing of saying that I have all 4 Grandparents actively involved in my life. Sadly, on Monday, that was no longer the case as my precious Pops passed away. Although it is very hard for me, I rejoice in the fact that I will one day see him in heaven and that I have 29 years of memories with him. With 8 children, 20 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren my Nana and Pops had a lot of people that they had to show love to, yet as I reflect I realize that each of my cousins and I have many memories with Pops and that this means he took a lot of time with each of us. Growing up, I know that Pops and Nana were there for many of my piano recitals, church programs, and anything that was important to me that they were there. They attended my graduation from both college and high school, my wedding, and my girls had the honor of meeting them and have them as a part of their life. I watched Pops grow to love Matt as much as I do and love to give him Gamecock things that he had around his house. I remember as I grew up praying that my Grandparents would all meet my future husband and my children. I am beyond blessed that God answered my prayers beyond what I could imagine. Pops not only met them all, but he was there to take care of Sarah Anne while I finished working with Nana, went on Sarah Anne's first trip to Disney World, vacationed with us in Edisto last year with Becca, and many other fun trips and memories that we have. There will be a large hole in my life where Pops in missing now, but I am so thankful for all the memories he has given me and the most important gift he could ever have given me in my precious Daddy. As I said goodbye to him for what I knew would be the last time, I cried, but I thanked him for giving me my Daddy. I am very blessed to have been born into the Hirschmann family and am so thankful for that name from Pops. Even Sarah Anne understood, when Matt explained that Pops was sick and would go to heaven, the first thing Sarah Anne asked was her Bubby ok. She is sad that Pops has passed away and has asked questions about it, but she is most concerned about her Bubby and me. She does not like when I cry, but is quick to give me a hug and tell me it is ok.

I do want to take a minute and share how blessed I am with the church family we have. My favorite verse has always been Proverbs 17:17, "A friend loves at all times." I am blown away with the friends I have that have made me feel so loved and have been there to support me the whole way through this process. There were several who kept the girls for us so that Matt could finish up work. Friends that have babies that are 3 weeks old, had other plans going on, and yet still dropped their lives to be there and support and help us. I have precious friends that have brought cards, flowers, and boxes of sunshine and treats (the girls loved the balloons and candy). And the biggest sacrifice of all that Matt worked and kept the girls and put them to bed completely by himself so that I could turn around on my way home to be with my family after Pops passed away. I am very blessed and will continue to cling to these precious friends in the days to come when I have a hard time.

As their are tears in my eyes as I write this and post these pictures, I am thankful for the time I had with Pops and look forward to telling my girls about them as time goes Here are a few pictures of Pops and the wonderful memories I have: