Remembering our Veterans!

On Monday we had our family home evening on being thankful and showing our appreciation to others. So with veterans day being on Wednesday I felt it appropriate to remember my Grandpa and his service in World War II. I took my kids over to the Veterans Memorial here in Cedar and showed my kids were my Grandpa' name was on the wall. I guess I just wanted my kids to have an appreciation of the sacrifice that all these soldiers have made for all of us and the solders that are continuing to make sacrifices for us, to ensure our freedom as well as others.

With doing this activity with my kids it really brought back a lot of memories of my wonderful Grandpa Pete. My Grandpa was one of the greatest men I knew. He as well as my Grandma were some of my biggest supporters all you need to do is ask. We were all asked to help with his needs. I started out just helping with meals, and just going to visit him. But, one Summer he needed help planting and watering his garden. So every Wednesday I would go down to his house and spent most of the day with him. That time with my grandpa was hard work but, I really am truly grateful that I got that opportunity. My grandpa would talk about tell stories I had never heard him tell before especially about the war. When my grandpa left to fight in World War II, he left my grandma with a child and another on the way. So that was not only hard for him but, my Grandma as well. I guess he had promised to try and write her every week, but it was hard finding time to write with all the things they wanted the solders to do so one night after everyone was suppose to be in bed he snuck off the the latrine to write my grandma but of course he was caught and then was forced to spend the rest of the night scrubbing the floor with a tooth brush, but he didn't care he still finished the letter and got it to my grandma. "She needed to know I was okay," and that is all that mattered to him. I was so impressed with his love and dedication to my grandma.

As a little girl I would spend the afternoons at my grandparent's house when I was done with kindergarten. I remember washing up for lunch and listening to him sing and then when he would come home from work I would help him in the garden. One things my grandpa was notorious for was his beautiful gladiola flowers, they were so beautiful and he had a huge garden filled with them. He would cut some and put them in bouquets and a lot of times he would ask my sisters and I if we would help deliver them to some of the widows around town. Those flowers would bring such joy to those ladies and they truly looked forward to his visit. I treasure the time I had with him, the stories he would share, and the many lessons he taught. He was a tremendous man and an outstanding example to me. My grandpa had a strong testimony of the church and had a deep love for the savior. He threw him self into all his calling and always was willing to do service for others. He also had a deep love of this country and was so proud of the service he gave this country. I am so grateful for his service and the sacrifices he and others made for us as well of those that continue to service this country. THANK YOU!!!