Thank you!

Thank you for all of the kind words and prayers. My parents asked me to speak at my Grandma's funeral Sunday. They have also asked to have my 4 kids, my sister's 3 kids, and my cousins 2 kids to sing all four verses of Amazing Grace.

This is what I have written for it.


Titus 2:3-5 "Likewise, teach the older woman to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger woman to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

When my mother called me to ask if I would consider speaking today I knew right away that I wanted to share my memories because of my deep love for my Grandma. I also knew that it would be very difficult because of my deep love for my Grandma.

I am blessed to have many wonderful memories of my Grandma because I grew up so close to her. We lived at the end of a mile long driveway with my Uncle Dan next door and my Grandparents just over the hill from them. Living so close made Christmas mornings a wonderful time. We would drive up the road to Grandpa and Grandma's for breakfast. Uncle Dan and his family and Aunt Carol and her family would also be there. It would smell so good when we entered Grandpa and Grandma's house. Grandpa would be cooking on the electric griddle at the counter bar and Grandma would be busy in the kitchen getting the rest of the food ready. One year for Christmas my Grandma gave Tammy, Julie, and me fabric to make pajamas. Then she had us spend the night at her house and she taught us how to sew the pajamas.

Sleepovers at Grandma's were always fun. Who remembers eating homemade popcorn out of brown grocery bags? How about sleeping on the floor in the back living room in sleeping bags and being woken up every hour from the chiming of the Grandfather clock? I know all of the Grandkids and even some of the Great-grandkids remember the drawer full of toys with the 2 dolls, one dark one light, that never seemed to have any clothes to wear. Then there was trying on Grandma's square dancing stuff, especially all of the puffy skirts. How about the little round wooden tuit? And let's not forget Grandma's cereal cookies.

Grandpa and Grandma also enjoyed going camping. I wonder how many times us grandkids asked for the meaning of the sticker on their trailer that read, "If this trailer's rockin' don't bother knockin'". What did that mean Grandpa? We always looked forward to going along on a camping trip with Grandpa and Grandma. Many of them were spent at Sandy Point. Remember the swimming pool inside the Golden Onion? How about taking a paddle boat out to the little island? Then there was sleeping on a bunk bed that doubled as a cupboard during the day. And toast isn't toast if it isn't black, at least that is what Grandpa would tell us when Grandma would burn the toast. Those were fun times.

Grandma loved to crochet. She taught me how to make a broomstick afghan for my doll like the green and white one on the back of her favorite chair. She also made ponchos for some of us girls. Supposedly I may or may not have ripped mine and then took my sister's to replace it. Sorry Jul.

Grandpa and Grandma put in an in ground swimming pool one summer. Tom, do you remember sitting and watching that being built? How many hot summer days were spent swimming in that pool? How many times do you think Julie could only put part of her body in it because she was wearing a cast on some other part of her body? Remember having contests to see who could do the silliest dives off the diving board? I think even Grandpa may have occasionally gotten in on that fun. We would get so excited when Grandpa and Grandma would give in to our begging and join us in the water.

All of these childhood memories mean so much to me, but a memory that has had the biggest impact on my life is seeing unconditional love lived out between a husband and wife. My Grandparents gave us the greatest gift of all and that is loving God and loving each other in a way that honored God. Thank you Grandpa for the beautiful example of love that you and Grandma gave me. Thank you God for giving me a Grandma that lived out Titus 2. I love you Grandpa! I love you Grandma!