Remembering Great Grandpa

Weston's Grandpa passed away.   He had a brain aneurysm on May 10th which caused him to need brain surgery and to be hospitalized.  He was in the hospital for almost 2 months in Seattle, where we visited him (I am so glad that we did), and then moved to a place in Pasco where he could be watched and helped.  In Pasco he developed pneumonia.  His body was just too worn out to fight it.  He passed away a week after he arrived in Pasco, on July 12th.   

His brain aneurysm happened the day before we were all to gather in Pasco for his 90th birthday party.  I so wish that we could've celebrated his 90 years of life with him before this all happened.  Instead we celebrated him with his spirit on the other side. 

He was a great man and the only grandpa that I ever knew.  He had strong values and was black and white on everything; there was no gray matter.  He had high standards for himself and for his family.  He was very religious and served as the Patriarch of his stake in Pasco for 37 years.  When Weston and I got married, and then pregnant right away, Weston's grandpa pulled us aside while we were all visiting Weston's parents and told us that he was proud of us for not delaying starting our family.  I loved that he did that, and that it meant that much to him.

He and his wife, Weston's awesome grandma, were so cute together. 

They traveled all the time.  They never (or hardly ever) missed a wedding, or missionary farewell or homecoming.  And they had LOTS to go to.  They have 8 children, 60 grandchildren, and 80 great grandchildren.  He was very active up until his aneurysm.  He came to the ranch a bunch of times and would ride the 4-wheeler around.

He learned how to ski at the age of 87 and would love to tell people that.

photo credit to Uncle Kenny

We will miss him.

We went to his funeral last Friday in Pasco.  I am so glad that we went.  The viewing, and funeral, and graveside service were all really special.  

photo credit to Weston's cousin, Amy

We mourned his loss, celebrated the great life that he lived, and enjoyed being together as a family.  This was definitely a family reunion.  Of the 60 grandchildren, all between the ages of 10 and 37ish, 52 were there.  6 of those 8 that didn't come were serving missions for our church.  The other 2 were Weston's brother Tyson who had just flown to Europe, and Aaron, who lives in Virginia, and had just been to Seattle for a family wedding the week before and couldn't get off of work.   We missed having them with us.

At the funeral the 52 grandkids got up and sang "Families Can Be Together Forever" and "Love One Another", 2 of grandpa's favorite songs.  It was amazing!  They were like an army.  It was so neat to think that all of these valiant young people were there because of Grandpa - in more ways than one - and that there are 80 (and I'm sure lots more to come since there are still a lot of unmarried grandkids) great-grands.  Families are awesome!  I am so glad to be a part of my awesome family and Weston's.

After the funeral we gathered at a chapel for lunch and then that evening at Aunt Paula's and Uncle Robert's house for dinner.  They were so kind to host and feed so many people at their house when I'm sure they were worn out physically and emotionally after such a week (and with a bunch of little munchkins eating up the berries in their huge garden).

I didn't take very many pictures at all.  Partly because I left my camera at Ranie's house (my friend/old roomy's house that lives nearby and where we stayed) for the funeral and graveside service and partly because I was talking too much/didn't want to stop to take pictures.  I really regret that I didn't take more now, though.  

4 of my 5 sisters-in-law on Weston's side.  Marta, sis-in-law #6 was in Europe.  l to r: Leslie, Natalie, me, Staci, Jamee

Great ladies Jamee, Lyndi, and Krissy:

A bunch of the men/young men cousins and a couple of women cousins played ultimate frisbee and then the men cousins had races.  This family is muy athletic, and fast.  They had a race for the kids, too, and Kate won both times they ran.  I didn't see it, but they tell me that she had a good lead.  When I saw her I said, "Good job on winning the race, Kate!"  She said, "And I wasn't even trying as hard as I could."  That cracked me up.  I need to put her in track.  She would rather just run than do any sport that involves a ball.

Me and Jana Banana:

It's always fun, too, to see my Virginia people, Jim and Sherry and their 7 kids (3 below: Taylor, Jana and Josh).  I grew up with these kids.  They were pretty much like my siblings.  (Their family owns the zoo in VA where I worked.)  We go way back in many ways.  My kid brother, Mark, and Josh were best friends, their aunt and my sister were best friends, my mom was their mom's laurel advisor (or something like that), their mom was my Stake Young Women's President and my mom was her counselor, and me and their aunt were friends and shared a bunk at girl's camp.  Heck, I was at their parents wedding reception when I was 2 (I gave them a spatula or something...hahaha-for real).  I worked for them for 5 summers/Christmas breaks, and payed my way through college that way.  And they are why I am married to their cousin/nephew.   Me and Jana adopted each other as sisters because she didn't have an older one and I didn't have a younger one.  I taught her how to drive stick shift in my VW Bug, we shared clothes, shared the attic when I lived/ worked at the zoo, you know, that kind of stuff.  I hadn't seen them in almost 5 years!  And that is how long I have been away from my Virginia!  My longest stretch ever.  Arr.  It was so good to see them and their sister, Megan, and their brother, Justin (both of whom had already left by this point that we took the picture), and their parents, Jim and Sherry, who I was really close to.  I wish I could've seen them longer.  I miss them people.

Shall we consider this a "22 week prego" picture?

There were so many family members, so little time.  I honestly wasn't ready to come home yet.  I wish we had one more day with all of them, and I felt a little sad on our way home.  There were so many that I didn't get to talk much to.  Plus we stayed at my friend Ranie's house, like I mentioned before, and I always love to talk to her.  She is so funny and positive.  Our kids get along great, too.  

I think about Grandma now.  She is the only living grandparent that Weston and I have.  Now that the busy week of planning the funeral and visiting with family is over, and everyone has gone home, I hope that she will be okay.  She is so sweet and loving.  We want to visit her hopefully in September.  

I am so grateful to know that families are forever!  We'll see Grandpa again.