I love you Papa!!!

Albert Russell Zander aka Albert Russ Pus Gut was a wonderful man. He worked hard while he could and played hard every day. I'll remember him forever and miss him always. Here are some things I hold dear to my heart about my papa.
I remember when Papa used to...
Ask my sister and I for a kiss and as soon as we got close he would pop out his false teeth in our faces and send us screaming away.
Pretend that his puppet skunk was real and when we got close to pet it he would lift the skunks tail. He really could make that thing look real.
Watch The Price is Right with us on summer mornings.
Tease me and tell me he had a twin named Russell Albert and would proove it with two pieces of his own picture ID. I believed anything this man told me.
Make us pancakes in the morning whatever size we wanted. Dollar or saddle blanket sized.
Hang on the fence at the pool while my best friend Hannah and I swam and call us mermaids.
Push us on the tire swing.
Make his "Papa face".
Give us rides on the riding lawn mower.
Let the grandkids play in his semi truck. We got to honk the horn and everything.
Tell me everytime he saw me of the story when I was two years old. He had me on his shoulders and his good friend Jack said, "Your Grandpa's no good" and I cried and said, "Yes he is". He loved that story.
Play rummy with Gram and pick fights with her just to watch me smile and hear me giggle.
Tell me that greasy bacon was good for me because it would put hair on my chest.

There are so many memories of my papa, but perhaps my most treasured memory will be that he waited to go be with the Lord until Adrie and I got to say good bye. As he struggled to breath he opened his eyes and nodded his head at me as I said my good byes. He then reached up and held Adrie's hand to say hello and good bye at the same time. I am happy that he got to meet Adrie before he left us, but even happier that Adrie got to meet him. Though she will not remember, I will treasure that moment forever. I love you Papa.