two important people.

Guys...
I just love my grandparents. They are seriously the coolest. Last night, I popped in their vid we made them for their 50th anniversary back in August of 2012. (Still working on trying to upload and link it here, cause I know I have some readers that are very dear friends of the family and I think would like to see it.) I cried. It takes a lot for me to cry like that. I have been thinking about them a lot lately. They're getting older. Which is not terrible, it's really not. A lot of my friends who are near the youngest in their families don't even have grandparents around still. So I know it's a blessing, but I can't help but be selfish and want them around for major milestones in my life. Graduation with a Bachelor's Degree. Dare I say even graduation from graduate school. Dragging my future husband to little old Price, because he'll know how important they are to me and that I want them to meet him and vice versa and see how proud of the choice I am making to marry him. My wedding. OH my goodness, you have no idea how important it is that they are both at my wedding--getting a picture like the one I have from my aunt's wedding where they and me are dancing; I'll just be a little older and taller this time :) Them seeing me possibly move for career and educational opportunities. Seeing my kids as they grow up. The possibilities are endless.

It's no secret that my grandfather and I share an extremely special bond. I can't even put it into words. The one who, for two years while at CEU, told me to focus on my education and don't let other things get in the way. The one who always calls me beautiful and nicknames me doll or baby doll and tells me how pretty my hair is. The one who always makes sure I am safe, that I can cover rent, car expenses, etc. The one who tells me to, "Be careful up to Salt Lake because all the men there are bastards." The one who always would take me to McDonald's (when my gam was working) on main street in July, when I would stay weeks on end every summer in Price, and we would eat big breakfasts and chat :) The one from which I gained my love of long, (almost-) solitary drives to just think about and ponder life. The one who always would take me to walmart and color fuzzy posters with me and teach me the all-important negotiation mantra, "He who speaks first, loses." The one who always brings me delicious feta and pepperoni from R&A and Workman's every time he comes up to visit.  The one who has coined one of my favorite pieces of advice, "Some days are better than others, but they are all good days. Don't you forget that, baby doll." The one who, during long drives up the canyon, would play the word game (do you say mail or male, etc., etc) and make comments on how "that's how young women these days talk," noting his differences in speech from mine--the linguist in me finds this to be so fantastic! Maybe he should have been a linguist too! One who has taught me to be close to the gospel in all that I do--he always reminds me to say my prayers, would always ask me what I learned in church when I spent Sunday nights with them, etc., etc. He's not active in the church, but I know deep down that he knows it's true. The one who raised (with my Gami of course!) my mother, and without her strong example, I wouldn't be the same. This chain reaction has helped me to know how I want to teach my kids :) I am grateful for all that my grandparents have taught me; all things and experiences, great and small. This might be mushy, but I just had to take a second and jot down my feelings for them. I hope they know how much I love them, and that I always will.

xoxo,
ash