spending some time in Sanford

The day Hannah left we got the news that my Grandpa LaMont had passed away. While it was a little unexpected, he had been declining a lot over the past several years, and his Parkinson's and diabetes were getting a lot worse. I was glad to hear that he is no longer suffering and hampered by his body. I have such good memories of my Grandpa and I'm so grateful for his example, his love, and his unwavering faithfulness to the Gospel.

The funeral was going to take place the following Tuesday. The boys and I flew to Denver on Saturday to stay the night with my sister, Hanna, my brother-in-law Stephen, and nephew SJ. Hanna and I drove from Denver to southern Colorado on Sunday. The family gradually assembled as people came from far and wide. We had lots of food, graciously provided by friends and church members, and people generously allowed their houses to be used while they were away, so we weren't stacked on top of each other at my grandparents' house. It was amazing to me to see the outpouring of love from our extended family and friends. The tiny town where my grandparents have always lived is such a wonderful place! 

The boys and I, Hanna, Stephen and SJ, and my parents were lucky enough to have a house to ourselves, so we were able to spend some quality time together, and the boys were able to go to sleep and get naps when they needed to. It helped us all have a really good time together.

 Jed and Hank in front of my grandparents' house. I love this picture for so many reasons--the way they're standing, Jed's adorable grin and arm around Hank, Hank's Hee-Haw overalls, which I wore when I was little, as did Hanna and Jed. Everyone got a big kick out of them! And, most importantly, that they're in front of my grandparents' house! I love walking through that front door and feeling the love and smelling the good smells that are always inside.

 Hank and Papah reading a story. Papah was so good to play with Hank and go at his own pace. One morning we spent quite a long time staring at horses just because Hank wanted to.

 Hank loved playing basketball with the big kids. Uncle Roro was especially good to play with Hank, as was uncle Shane. Hank loves Uncle Shane!

 Cousin Jaxon, Papah, Jed, and Hank in the corral behind the house. It makes me sad to see the corral this way, all full of weeds. When I was growing up, it had lamb pens all around the fences, and there were baby lambs running around waggling their tails, or big lambs waiting to be sheared and sold to market. I have seen baby lambs born there, fed orphan lambs (we called them pinkos) out of an old pepsi bottle, chased lambs (my grandpa would say "catch that lamb, the one with the leg" and somehow you'd figure out which lamb he meant), stuck out my arms to help carry wood from the wood pile, and trotted after my dad and grandpa as they did a thousand different chores there. It was sweet to see my boys enjoying the corral. Jed was fascinated by some tomato skins my grandma had tossed there after she'd canned tomatoes. He told me "mom, come see the blood and the guts! It is so cool!" I loved that Jed was as enthralled with something in the corral, just like I was when I was little.

 The day after the funeral, my dad took us on a little "tour of Sanford." We drove all around my grandpa's land and he told us stories and history, some I'd heard and some I hadn't.

 My dad said he'd loaded more bales of hay on this hay rack than he could ever dream of counting.

 This is the house my Grandma Donna lived in before she married my Papa.

 One of my dad's favorite fishing holes growing up

 My grandma Janet's parents house before they moved to town. It is SUCH a shame no one lives there now. It was such a beautiful house--I have very vague memories of going there when I was a little girl. The lawn used to be gorgeous.

 The house where my Grandpa LaMont was born. We used to go there to visit my Grandma Morgan before she passed away. My grandpa was a very loving son and he would go over every day to sit and talk with his mom, to watch The Young and The Restless, to drink a pepsi or a coke, to bathe my great-grandma and take care of her. Grandma Morgan would always give me a box of animal crackers every time I came to visit. It was so interesting to hear my dad tell stories about Grandpa LaMont when grandpa was a little boy growing up in this house.

We also took another trip to the cemetery, after the day of the funeral. I didn't get a very good look at the headstone the day my grandpa was interred, so it was nice to have a few quite moments there. My grandparents bought their burial plots and headstones a few years ago, so that when the time came, things would be easier for their kids.

 My dad has a brother who is handicapped, so they bought his headstone too. My uncle Curt loves pepsi and he loves to read magazines, and I love that those are the things they chose to put on his headstone. Anyone who knows Curt will instantly recognize these things!

 Here is the front of my grandparents' headstone--my grandpa has sheep on his side, and my grandma has a needle, thread, and music notes on hers.

And here is the back. I think they did a great job. I know headstones aren't that thrilling to think about, but we're all going to end up under one some day--it might as well be a nice one!

It was so good to see family members and spend some time in Sanford, reveling in all the memories. Hanna and I also spent a day with our Papa and had a really nice time with him. It was wonderful to get veggies out of the garden, check the chicken coop for eggs, visit with a few family members, and just have some quiet time together. It is always so good to go back to "the valley!"