“I love you every day. And now I will miss you every day.” - Mitch Albom . . I lost both of my grandpas this Spring. Not due to CoVid, but it hasn’t made it any easier. I am thankful that in their final days they were able to be reunited with their loved ones once moved to Hospice facilities. I had the opportunity to talk with one of my grandpas over the phone in his last day, last month. This past weekend I was able to visit with my grandpa who lived in-town for the first time since February. He was still responsive and I was able to tell him goodbye. I am so thankful. . I am incredibly blessed to have had them for as long as I did - almost 35 years is a long time to have any grandparent in your world and I don’t take it for granted. It gave me the opportunity to not only know him as my “grandpa”, but also to know him more intimately as a fellow human as I grew into adulthood. In a way, I feel like it makes saying goodbye to him for now just that much harder. Grief in the time of CoVid is some kind of strange and foreign creature. . I made this painting for my grandpa last Christmas. It was his favorite donut place. ❤️ . . . 🍩❤️🎨⚜️🎨❤️🍩 . . . #stllove #donutdrivein #route66 #encausticpainting #encausticart #waxart #waxpainting #artfromtheheart #heartfulfunks #hotwaxpainting #encausticartist #encaustic #orangeskies #stlartist #stlart #stlouisartist #stlouisart #stlcreatives #griefjourney #inmemory #griefinthetimeofpandemic #donutlove #gratefulheart #stlwaxworks #leahmerriman #paintwithfire #quarantinelife #artistinquarantine #quarantineart #artinthetimeofcorona (at St. Louis Wax Works) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBg8WADnV_1/?igshid=a7syjr15egkp