In an attempt to better record our year as a family, I am determined to post more often on this blog! Fortunately for me, I don’t think there is more than one reader, so it takes the fear out a little bit!!
The year 2010 has started out in a rush as usual. It seems life never slows down around here. In 3 weeks andy has built a new entertainment center and has started the finish work in our bonus room and finished the laundry room. Michelle has started a new term of school including 15 credits this term, and as a family we have taken an impromptu trip to Portland for shopping, eating, swimming and time with Aunt Shelly and Uncle Wayne. I love my time with my Beautiful big sister... it's just never enough!!
Andy’s dear Grandmother, Helen Lucille Bywater Perry, passed away on Sunday January 10, 2010. She was so dearly loved and adored. We have missed her so already, but have loved the time it has given us to spend with family and to reflect on her life and love. Helen was an incredible woman who truly was a caregiver. She loved her family more than anything, and loved spending time with all of the many members. She knew each member individually and for a very long time, could remember the names of each of the 37 Grandchildren, their spouses names, and even most of the great grandchildrens names. There were a total of 76 of them. Helen was a quiet presence in a room, but always so gracious and thoughtful of others. She had a talent of making others feel welcome and loved in her presence and truly enjoyed meeting new people. I always admired Helens ability to move to small town Eastern Oregon from her big city Salt Lake City upbringing. She made it look so easy, and I never once heard her complain about it or say she had wished they hadn’t made the move. In fact, as Andy and I have reflected on her life, I don’t ever remember a time when Helen was in a bad mood or grumpy about anything. I have fond memories of her in her later years. Helen was in the nursing home after she broke her hip at the same time that my Grandma Lester was there, where she passed away. I remember going to see Grandma Lester and feeling down about how quickly she was going, when I would then go see Helen and she just brought so much comfort to me. She LOVED her lemon meringue pie. She once told me that when she was a young girl and would get sick, her mother would make her lemon pie. She said it was always such a treat to her as she got older. I will always remember how Elmer had made good friends with the chef at the retirement home and he was always happy to make the food that would make Helen happy. He loved making her lemon meringue pie!
I feel so blessed that my children are all old enough to have met her. I feel especially blessed that my oldest 3 children are old enough to have memories of her. That they were old enough at her service to hear the words of love and admiration that her children shared of her so that they can hold the heritage of this dear woman in their hearts as they get older. I am ever grateful to have been blessed enough to be able to call her family. My life has been deeply enriched by the example and love of a dear, tiny woman who loved her family and most of all her Savior.
In trying to capture moments on Saturday, I unfortunately did not get a lot of pictures of my own family. But I am excited about the moments that I did catch.
Keep in mind that a photographer I am not, but I love catching moments!!
The year 2010 has started out in a rush as usual. It seems life never slows down around here. In 3 weeks andy has built a new entertainment center and has started the finish work in our bonus room and finished the laundry room. Michelle has started a new term of school including 15 credits this term, and as a family we have taken an impromptu trip to Portland for shopping, eating, swimming and time with Aunt Shelly and Uncle Wayne. I love my time with my Beautiful big sister... it's just never enough!!
Andy’s dear Grandmother, Helen Lucille Bywater Perry, passed away on Sunday January 10, 2010. She was so dearly loved and adored. We have missed her so already, but have loved the time it has given us to spend with family and to reflect on her life and love. Helen was an incredible woman who truly was a caregiver. She loved her family more than anything, and loved spending time with all of the many members. She knew each member individually and for a very long time, could remember the names of each of the 37 Grandchildren, their spouses names, and even most of the great grandchildrens names. There were a total of 76 of them. Helen was a quiet presence in a room, but always so gracious and thoughtful of others. She had a talent of making others feel welcome and loved in her presence and truly enjoyed meeting new people. I always admired Helens ability to move to small town Eastern Oregon from her big city Salt Lake City upbringing. She made it look so easy, and I never once heard her complain about it or say she had wished they hadn’t made the move. In fact, as Andy and I have reflected on her life, I don’t ever remember a time when Helen was in a bad mood or grumpy about anything. I have fond memories of her in her later years. Helen was in the nursing home after she broke her hip at the same time that my Grandma Lester was there, where she passed away. I remember going to see Grandma Lester and feeling down about how quickly she was going, when I would then go see Helen and she just brought so much comfort to me. She LOVED her lemon meringue pie. She once told me that when she was a young girl and would get sick, her mother would make her lemon pie. She said it was always such a treat to her as she got older. I will always remember how Elmer had made good friends with the chef at the retirement home and he was always happy to make the food that would make Helen happy. He loved making her lemon meringue pie!
I feel so blessed that my children are all old enough to have met her. I feel especially blessed that my oldest 3 children are old enough to have memories of her. That they were old enough at her service to hear the words of love and admiration that her children shared of her so that they can hold the heritage of this dear woman in their hearts as they get older. I am ever grateful to have been blessed enough to be able to call her family. My life has been deeply enriched by the example and love of a dear, tiny woman who loved her family and most of all her Savior.
In trying to capture moments on Saturday, I unfortunately did not get a lot of pictures of my own family. But I am excited about the moments that I did catch.
Keep in mind that a photographer I am not, but I love catching moments!!
Andy was blessed with the ability to be a pallbearer as one the oldest son of his family. He was excited to be one of 2 that still had all of his hair… made me giggle!
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We wanted the children to have a moment that would help them remember this special day. In the story of Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man is given his heart from the wizard. The wizard tells him that the measure of ones heart is not how much love one gives, but how much they are loved. I wanted my children to SEE how much this woman was loved. Out of 37 grand children, only 5 could not make it. So we 'sent' our love to Grandma by letting go of 70 balloons at the gravesite. It was an incredible sight. It was hard to photograph because of the white balloons in the grey ski, but the balloons went up fast, then just sat up high in the sky looking down at us. It was as if the angels in the heavens grabbed them and held on to them for a while. It was beautiful!
I love the picture where everyone is looking up to the sky. One of the little ones kept saying "We sent balloons to Grandma!"
This is not the final edit of the group picture, I still need to add Brent into it, but wanted to share the impact this woman had one peoples lives. This is the family picture at the dinner. Such a legacy for one little woman:)
1 comment:
She was a phenomonal woman, who did leave such a beautiful and amazing legacy. I loved playing at her house when I was young with Pam. She would always make us some cookies with milk and we would get to play on her chalkboard. I think that she shines through all of you. Your family means so much to all of us. I don't think you will ever understand how grateful I am for you and for teaching Devin. He still to this day says your his favorite. You have left such an impression on him. Thank you for being like Helen and being a great teacher as well. I think you put something in Devin that will stay with him forever, which is the love to learn!
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