Memorial Day

I know this is a sad day for most, but this is one of my favorite holidays. I think I like this holiday so much because David and I have a tradition on this day that is different from every one elses. It is OUR tradition. Not one that we are passing down from mine or his parents. While David and I were in college, we were living in Rexburg, Idaho. Our closest relatives were 4 hours away and so we did not have any graves to decorate on this holiday. One Sunday a question of traditions was asked in church. Someone mentioned that they had no family in the area and so they randomly decorated graves. I loved this idea! So David and I decided to make this our tradition but to expound on it. We find children's graves that are not decorated. This year we decided to use pinwheels instead of flowers. I couldn't think of anything more fitting for a child, seeing how fascinated Hyrum is of them right now in his life.
While we were at the cemetery, Grandpa and Grandma showed up. My Grandfather's mother and father are buried here. I never knew my Great Grandma Thatcher. In fact, she died before my mother was born but I knew my Great Grandfather. A story that my family often tells of him involves me. Growing up, I always called my Grandpa Thatcher "Papa." One day while at my Great Grandfathers house, I decided to call him "Little Papa" because he was smaller than my "Papa." Everyone loved that and so Great Grandpa Thatcher became "Little Papa" and Grandpa stayed "Papa."

This is my "Papa" at Great Grandma's grave.


This is at Little Papa's grave.

This is at Shane White's grave. I grew up seeing Shane quite often in our house; usually spending the night with Ronald. He was the friend that never talked but always smiled that great smile of his...usually because we embarrassed him somehow. Sometime after I moved out he moved in with my family. When I would come home to visit this kid wasn't so much a kid anymore and talked back! He was known for his constant milk drinking (Mom would have marked milk in the fridge that Shane could not touch just so that the kids that she babysat would have milk to drink when Shane was around!). He was also known to do anything for money. Even if it was just for a buck! We loved that boy very much. I didn't get to know him as well as the rest of the family because I was gone so much but I did love him. The greatest honor he gave me was to speak at his baptism. Shane died way to early. He had just graduated High School. He had the longest, curly eyelashes you would ever see on a boy. We miss you, Shane.

Dad came with us this year. He taught my boys the real reason behind Memorial day. If you know my father, you know how much he loves this great United States of America. He loves our soldiers and he loves the price they have paid for us in their blood.

This memorial day has been our most memorable one so far.