To sleep, perchance to dream

I did not sleep well last night.  I set my alarm for 4:30 so I could get up to swim.  When I know I have to get up, I usually wake up around 2, realize I have time, and go back to sleep.  This morning, I felt like there was a mosquito in the bed and by the bites on my legs, either there was, or I had gotten bites yesterday that were just coming to their itchy fruition.  Eventually I must have fallen back to sleep, because the alarm woke me.  I turned it off and must have immediately fallen back to sleep. 

I was at my grandfather's house, some of my dad's cousins were there and we were chatting a bit.  Then a car pulled up to take some of the kids to school and I ran down to say hi to my Pop-pop who was driving.  I could hear him telling the kids to get in the car so they wouldn't be late.  He gave me a kiss and just looked at me, smiling with eyes full of love.  I told him I'd see him later and off they went.

By the time I woke up the clock said 4:55 and Shawn was walking into the bathroom.  I jumped out of bed, threw on my stuff, brushed my teeth, and made it to swim by 5:25, crying most of the way.  I wasn't sure if I'd be able to swim while I was driving, but I was able to focus on the workout. 

Pop-pop has only been in a couple of dreams in the last 5 years since he passed away.  This was one of the most vivid.  I'm still crying writing this, but in the same respect, I wish that he visited me every night.  I still miss him so much.

This is one of the last photos I have with Pop-pop, visiting him in his ALF room the last summer he was with us.