Family Memories

The other day, while I was making dinner, I found myself telling Eli about his wonderful extended family. Unfortunately I was only able to tell him a lot of stories about my parents and grandparents because they are the ones I know most about. I guess Aaron will have to have a reminiscing day about his side sometime.

Anyway, it was really nastolgic to remember what I loved about my childhood and the things my parents did to make it the amazing adventure that it was. It was also wonderful to remember my grandparents and what they taught me as well as the funny stories that always came from our adventures.

If I wrote all the memories down, It would be a novel, but here's a little of my walk down memory lane.

My daddy:
I remember him soaking cucumbers in vinager, putting salt on them and telling us they were pickles. He loved them, but I think he only gave them to us to see our faces pucker!

More recently I remember driving down to Utah Valentine's Day weekend from BYU-I and talking to him about my Book of Mormon Class. It was a very great talk about the gospel and how we need to prepare and arm ourselves in this life and how reading the scriptures can do that.

My Mommy:
When I was little I got a lot of headaches. My mom would give me a cold washrag to oput on my head, a popsicle to cool me off (and hydrate me I'm sure) and let me lay in her bed until I fell alseep.

My mom is now one of my best friends and I call her multiple times a week (I can't even count sometimes). I tell her everything. She was a pillar of strength and encouragement when Eli was born, letting me know I could do it.

My Grandma A (Dad's Mom):
I remember helping her pick her carrots, peas, cherries, apples... whatever she was picking that day. We always got a lot to eat afterward. She was a great gardener and always had the most beautiful roses. I loved her roses. She also had a snap dragon plant by the front door and I would love to pick one and make it's mouth open and shut.

Grandma was also so optimistic. Even when Grandpa was gone, she said she was lonely but she knew that they were sealed together and would be together again. What an eternal perspective.

Grandpa A:
I remember going to visit him at the hospital when he had surgery on his hip, and later they had a hospital bed in their house as he was recovering. Grandpa never walked very well, but that never dampened his spirit. He was a mischievous man and loved to scare the birds away from his cherry tree by throwing fire crackers at them.

Grandpa was also a great carpenter. He made us some of the most amazing toys for Christmas. With all the grand kids he had, I always felt that we had a special relationship.

Grandma M (mom's mom):
I remember going to a family reunion in Michigan and my grandma rode a scooter! It was so fun to see her join in the fun and games with the us! She also wore these glasses that made her eyes really big when she pulled them away from her face. I used to love that and I know Eli would laugh and laugh if he saw that (he laughs at me when I wiggle my glasses on my face with my ears).

My Grandma's testimony has always been a watering source for mine. She was always expressing her love of the prophet and here love of Joseph Smith. When I graduated high school, we went to visit for several weeks and while we were there, we took a side trip to Nauvoo. Grandma bore her testimony of Joseph Smith before and after we went. With that in mind while we visited, I think my love for Joseph Smith and testimony of his calling really blossomed.

My Grandpa M:
I remember grandpa letting us play horse on his back. Poor guy. We have a family video where he has three of us on his back at once! Strong guy. I also remember he had a watch with a calculator on it. Quite fitting for an MIT guy!

Grandpa was a convert to the church and he was born to be a member! What a testimony! He became a patriarch and a sealer in the temple. I was lucky to be able to get my blessing from him. He even wrote his testimony in a letter to me and I cherish it. (I meant to copy it for all my siblings over Christmas but things got busy so remind me later).

I love my family and there are millions of memories to go along with the above. I just hope that we can make Eli's childhood as good as my parents and grandparents made mine and give him the example he needs to become a strong man in character and spirit.