Death of Our Grandfather

    That moment when your heart seems to be pulled from your chest - taking the breath out of your lungs - is replaced with a shock that casts doubt on the soundness of your hearing and robs your eyes of tears. That was how I’d describe myself when I learned on Tuesday morning that my Grandpa, Frank Tucker, had quietly passed away in his sleep the night before.
I and many others have been blessed to have had this man in our lives. He’s always been there for my     Mom and I for the last 22 years - which makes having to come to the realization that he’ll no longer be stopping by for a visit and calling or [in the last few years] FB messaging to check in on us - all the more difficult.
    God had been merciful in allowing my Grandpa to see all of his children become fathers and mothers on their own and to have been given the health to meet and spend time with his -now- eleven grandchildren of whom he was always so proud. I wish that he’d been given more time - that he could’ve even met my children someday - but the Lord had numbered his days and peacefully let him fall into a sleep from which he would never wake.
    I’m thankful for the memories we were able to make together (and capture in photos) and I will always appreciate the contributions he made in the lives of my extraordinary mom (Lisa) and incredible uncles/aunts who have been so supportive of one another through this time.
    Your memory is etched in my mind as your love has been impressed upon my heart.
-Andrew

Franklin R. Tucker 

4/9/47 - 3/15/16

Dance Practice (Videos)

March 11, 2016

1. Downriver to the Sea
2. Irish Washer Woman
3. The Hole in the Wall
4. The Ragg
5. Duke of Kent's Waltz
6. Young Widow
7. The Scottish Polka
8. Jack's Maggot
9. King of Poland

The Piano Guys at the Fabulous Fox

March 10, 2016 - My Mom's...39th birthday!   Again!

It was also the first birthday of my Mom's niece, Keira, so the birthday girls had to go out to celebrate with some ice cream.

It's hard to believe just how much Keria's grown in the last year.  

As the saying goes 

"They grow up so fast."

The "they" in that phrase was so commonly applied to me and my brothers, that it's a little odd to bestow it on someone else.  I guess that's part of getting "old!"

For my Mom's birthday, we had a date to the Fabulous Fox theatre for a performance of the Piano Guys. A one night performance - on her birthday - how cool is that?

We're the two biggest music lovers in the house - if there's ever music being played around the house, it's either coming from her or from yours truly.

Yes, I'm driving.  No, my eyes are NOT looking at the road.

#livingdangerously

Coincidentally, we had friends just across the way at Powell Hall.

Well, I didn't know this, but you're not allowed to get photos of the Fox Theatre.  

(From this shot, I could see why, because it appears to be a sacred Buddhist temple or something.)

That said, I hope you appreciate this post all the more when you take into account that I was tracked down by security and could have been escorted out of the theatre for getting these photos!

And, of course, I wasn't able to get photos or video of the Piano Guys' performance, and this is the closest thing I can find: 

It was a lot of fun to spend the evening together.

Little did the two of us know that my Grandpa would pass away just a few days later and we'd have to heavily lean on one another for support in the following week.