BEING HOME

THIS TRIP HOME HAS BEEN QUITE REFRESHING, AND HAS BEEN FULL OF SOME VERY MEANINGFUL AND LOVELY EVENTS. WE CAME DOWN HERE FOR MY GREAT GRANDPA'S FUNNER (PAMPA TED).. WHICH WAS A VERY BEAUTIFUL SERVICE. ANDREW HAD NEVER SEEN A MILITARY FUNERAL, WITH ALL THE SALUTES AND RESPECT AND TRIBUTE THEY PAY TO A MAN WITH 3 PURPLE HEARTS AND MANY MANY OTHER METALS. HE SAID HE WILL NEVER FORGET THAT TOUCHING EXPERIENCE. WE TRULY HAD A HERO IN OUR LIVES, AND THE BEST FATHER, GRANDFATHER, AND GREAT GRANDFATHER THERE CAN BE. TO CELEBRATE HIS LIFE, WE WENT TO HIS FAVORITE RESTAURANT TO TAKE ALL OF US TO.. HOMETOWN BUFFET. WE ALL KNEW HE WAS WITH US, AND VERY HAPPY. :)

LAST VIEWING OF OUR PAMPA

SOLDIERS AT THE GRAVESITE

WWII HERO

21 GUN SALUTE, TAPS, & FOLDING/PRESENTING OF FLAG

WE MISS HIM DEARLY

THE NEXT DAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 93RD BIRTHDAY, AND SO WE DECIDED TO CELEBRATE THAT BY DOING HIS WIFE'S TEMPLE WORK. (GRAMMA GRACE PASSED 2 YEARS EARLIER). IT WAS SO MAGICAL TO SEE ABBY TAKE ON HER NAME AND BE BAPTIZED IN HER BEHALF. THE SPIRIT WAS INCREDIBLE. HER LITTLE FIESTY SELF WAS THERE WONDERING WHAT TOOK US THE EXTRA YEAR, BUT WE KNEW SHE WAS HAPPY.. BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THOSE TWO LOVED THE MOST, IT WAS FAMILY, AND I'M SURE ALL THEY WANT IS TO BE WITH US ALL FOREVER.. AND SO WE CONTINUED HER PROGRESSION WITH HER INITATORY & ENDOWMENT THE NEXT DAY. I HAD THE HONOR OF ACCEPTING THE BLESSINGS AND OBLIGATIONS IN HER BEHALF. I KNOW SHE WAS THERE, AND WAS GIVING US THE WARMEST SPIRIT & COMFORT. WE LOVE HER SO MUCH. I KNOW THAT IN SOME CASES WE WERE CLOSER TO OUR GREAT GRANDPARENTS THAN SOME PEOPLE ARE EVEN TO THEIR GRANDPARENTS, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THE WONDERFUL EMOTIONS INVOLVED WITH THIS GREAT TEMPLE WORK.

ABBY HAD MY BLONDE HAIR AT HOMETOWN

I LOVE THE TEMPLE. AND I CHERISH MY FAMILY.