PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 91 - Traveling to the Canadian Rockies

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 91 - Traveling to the Canadian Rockies

Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer!

It is Fall of 2024. Our friend Curt (he and his partner Frank used to let you guys swim in their pool and they always bought you Christmas and birthday presents) has always wanted to visit the Canadian Rocky Mountains. As Tom and I looked at videos and photos of them, we decided that we wanted to see them too. So, I mad plans for a ten day trip from Florida to Banff, Alberta, Canada.

I booked us a hotel in Banff Town where we could walk to everything. We had one of the best vacations ever. The glacier-made Rocky Mountains are huge and surround this little town. The snow and ice from the mountains creates rivers and lakes that have beautiful turquoise water. 

We visited Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, and the Johnston Canyon waterfalls. We rode a gondola 7500 feet to the top of a mountain.

Tom took a photo of me holding an elk antler. A huge elk walked down the road beside our vehicle. At another place, a herd of mountain goats blocked the road. One day we came out of our hotel and three deer walked past us and crossed the street right in front of us.

Banff is a beautiful place. I wish you could have been there with us. I miss you guys.

I will love you forever,

Pawpaw

(Please remember - I did not abandon you. I would never leave you willingly. When your parents became attached to their new religion and became extremely political, they disowned Tom and me. We were no longer welcome to visit, call, text or even send birthday and Christmas gifts.)

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 90 - HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY BRYSON

 PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 90 - HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY BRYSON

Happy 9th Birthday Bryson! I am so proud of you and always will be. I cannot put into words how happy it makes me to be your Pawpaw. I miss you and will love you forever.

Someday when you are 18 years old or older, I hope that you will search for me. I have never stopped loving you even if I am not allowed to see you.

All my love,

Pawpaw

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 89 - Choose Me video for you

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 89

Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer!

I have named my new music album: SONGS FROM PAWPAW. I hope that you find it online and on Youtube and know your Pawpaw.

CHOOSE ME is a song about the feeling we all have about wanting to fit in. It took me decades to discover the truth that "As a grown man now, I'm no more like a bough blown in the breeze. No more do I bleed from a painful need to constantly please. I am now at peace. I've made my mind cease to want to fit it. I feel confident to simply choose me."

Also, you'll see me wearing a blue kilt. My sixth great grandfather was born in Scotland in 1720. I wear kilts to honor my Scot heritage.

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 88 - Miss you

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 88

Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer!

Happy belated12th birthday Connor. 

I searched the internet and found a few photos of you all. You have grown so much! You are so very handsome! You all look very happy. Seeing that makes me very happy too. At the same time, I am heartbroken that I have missed so much of your childhoods. I think about you every day.

I love you,

Pawpaw

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 87 - See You Later song

 PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 87

Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer!

Since you probably won't be allowed to see me until you may choose to do so after age 18, there's a good chance I won't be alive then. I leave these messages to let you know that you were loved and missed every single day. I have loved you both since the days that you were born and I held you in my arms. (I only was able to hold Archer once and only for about an hour).

I have decided to record my songs and leave them on Youtube for you to hopefully find someday and know your Pawpaw better.

My song SEE YOU LATER is one of my favorite songs that I have written. It is about my Grandma Virginia Margaret Wheatley McWilliams. She was your maternal Greatgrandmother. 

Grandma Mac was what we all called her. She was of Appalachian heritage and Scottish before that. Her Fourth Great Grandfather Abraham came from Scotland to Pennsylvania before the American Revolution! His son Samuel fought in the revolution for American independence. Even though she was from a northern state, Grandma had a country / southern accent as Appalachians do. 

Grandma never said goodbye. She always said "Sweetie, this is not goodbye, it's just another see you later." I wrote this song for her.

Pawpaw will always love you boys!

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 86 - love song

 PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 86

Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer!

Since you probably won't be allowed to see me until you may choose to do so after age 18, there's a good chance I won't be alive then. I leave these messages to let you know that you were loved and missed every single day. I have loved you both since the days that you were born and I held you in my arms. (I only was able to hold Archer once and only for about an hour).

I have decided to record my songs and leave them on Youtube for you to hopefully find someday and know your Pawpaw better.

My song THINKING OF YOU SLOW DANCE is a love song. I hope that people in love will hear it and take their partner into their arms and share a special moment together.

Pawpaw will always love you all!

PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 85 - Pawpaw music

 PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 85

Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer!

Since you probably won't be allowed to see me until you may choose to do so after age 18, there's a good chance I won't be alive then. I leave these messages to let you know that you were loved and missed every single day. I have loved you both since the days that you were born and I held you in my arms. (I only was able to hold Archer once and only for about an hour).

I have decided to record my songs and leave them on Youtube for you to hopefully find someday and know your Pawpaw better.

I wrote CHOOSE ME about the feeling every human has - the desire to fit in. It took me decades to realize that loving ourselves is a big part of being healthy.

Pawpaw will always love you guys.