Showing posts with label Grandpa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grandpa. Show all posts

His Wedding Shoes...

March 3, 2016

199 
( J+K...The Marriage License)

 Time is just passing too quickly and there are so many things I don't want to forget. Thoughts...feelings...hopes...dreams. 
We have gotten all of the pictures of The Boy's December wedding. 
 As I have gone through all of the beautiful photos, it's given me the chance to reflect 
back on that day. The things I remember most are being surrounded by such wonderful 
family and friends. My brothers, and sister...brothers-in-law...sisters-in-law...all there to
 love us at this very special time for our family.  To have my Aunts and
Uncles from both sides of my family in the 
temple with us was amazing! We had a few minutes, waiting for the ceremony to 
begin, where I was able to just look around the room...remembering why I loved 
each person who was there to be with us. That was a very special moment for me. 
The Boy's mission President and his wife drove from St. George to be with him in the
 Mesa Temple for the ceremony. That brought so many tears for me. 
 They are amazing people.

  206 

 The morning of the wedding, I overheard The Boy asking Grandma Vicki if he 
could use his grandpa's shoe shine kit. He wanted to polish the shoes he would be married in. 
 The shoe shine kit was kept in a little wooden box. Grandpa Charles was meticulous
 about keeping his Sunday shoes clean and polished. I have so many memories of him 
polishing his shoes with that sweet kit. I didn't realize that The Boy also had memories 
of his Grandpa Charles shinning his shoes. Knowing my Father, I am sure he must have 
taken the time to teach The Boy, his grandson, how to properly clean and polish his shoes, 
when he was a young boy. I am sure he worked right along with him as he taught him...
that was his way. The Boy sat quiet as he polished his shoes. It was a sacred moment for him.
 He had planned to have his Grandpa Charles with him in the temple on his wedding day.
 In fact, he would have preformed the ceremony as he was a Sealer when he passed away. 
The Boy was longing for his Grandpa Charles the morning of his wedding day. 
 He would have had some wonderful words of counsel for The Boy...
he would have told him how very proud of him that he was...
he would have shed tears with The Boy...he was good at that ;) 
He would have guided him on his wedding day with great strength and 
testimony and great love. 
The Boy missed him terribly... 
and so did I.

  208 

 It was a very sweet moment to witness as The Boy found his dear grandfather
 in the simple act of polishing his shoes on his wedding morning. I am ever grateful 
for a Father who continued to "raise" me as I raised my own children. 
 And with his wisdom, he raised them too... I think he still does. 
 I hope I never forget that tender moment between 
The Boy and his Dear Grandpa Charles.

Dear Chelsea...

January 27, 2015

698 

 Dear Chelsea, 
 I couldn't tell you all these things in person, it would have been a tear fest!
 So for that reason, I decided to write you this "letter."
 First of all...you know that I love you! You have been such a joy to me!
 I feel like you are my girl... I feel like you are a part of my family...one of my kids.
 You and I have shared some long talks together, and we have shed tears together. 
 What a pleasure it has been for me to watch you grow into a beautiful, kind, thoughtful, 
God loving, woman. Never did I doubt that you would be anything else. 
 I love your testimony! 
 I love your love for those around you!
 I love that you have allowed me to be a part of your life. 
 What a beautiful experience it was for us to join with your special family to welcome
 you home from your mission. There really is nothing better in the whole world
 than that of welcoming home a missionary who has served faithfully. 
 It was a very special day!

  295 

 Chelsea, 
I am not sure that I have ever thanked you sufficiently for the beautiful gift 
you brought to me all the way from your mission. You know that my father served his
 mission to Peru. I heard about it all through my life. I saw pictures, listened to stories.
 I knew that he loved Peru and had a great desire to return there some day.
 I don't think he knew how he would go back...he just knew that it was #1 on his bucket list ;) 
 He never got that chance. 
 When he passed away in October that was one of the thoughts that made me 
really sad, that he had never returned to his beloved Peru. I never told anyone how I felt.
 I just kept it in my heart. And then you arrived at my house with a pretty gift bag...
 As I opened the gift, I quickly realized what you had brought for me...
a beautiful Peruvian Nativity.
  photo 4 (1)

The moment I saw it, I wanted to burst into tears...
but I held it together so I didn't look like a crazy lady! 
Chelsea, I knew in that moment that the nativity not only represented you 
and your faithful service in Peru...It represented my Dad. 
 He knew that I love and collect nativity sets, 
it was his way of letting me know that he was close by. 
 And he was able to do that though you. 
 After you left, I sat down and cried. I said a little prayer of gratitude for you. 
 That you could be an instrument to help me feel close to my Dad at such a sad time for me.
 I have enjoyed that nativity set more than you will even know! 
Even now I have it where I can see it everyday. It has brought me so much peace and joy. 
It continues to be a reminder of a beautiful young lady that I love very much,
 but also a reminder of a father, who wanted to let his daughter know... 
he wasn't really that far away!
 I love you Chelsea!
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