A year has passed

I can't believe a year has passed since Grandpa has passed.It was actually yesterday (Saturday). So many emotions came back. I remember that dreaded call I got from dad, I didn't believe what he said, I had him repeat it a few times and I finally broke down and just bawled at my desk. I left work early because I just wanted my mom. I had called Mitch, we decided that we would travel together. We would meet at the 7-11 by my house and follow each other down to Orangeville. The whole way down I just thought about my mom. I wanted to make sure she was ok. I knew she was with my dad, and he would make sure that she was ok. I just wanted to put my arms around her. I wanted to hug her, I just wanted to be with my parents.

When I got down to Orangeville, my mom was still at my grandparents house. They were starting to look through papers and the Watson/Wilsons were there. And Ruanne was there. They were talking about the obituary and how that would go about. They were meeting with Faucett Mortuary the next morning, Linda was coming down that morning to be there with the family. Kent and Landon ran over to BK's and picked up pizza for everyone.

That next morning, I went with my parents to the mortuary. A lot of the funeral plans were already made, Grandpa did that before. He wants RED ROSES for his flowers so that made it easy for us to pick out flowers. Kristi soon came. We all walked downstairs and looked at caskets. It didn't take long, we looked at the casket and we knew THAT ONE was "IT". We then all met over at Gordon's for the flowers. The grandkids decided on making a wreath to set at Grandma and Grandpa's headstone every year for christmas. It had christmas bulbs on it with all of our names on it. Just thinking of it makes me cry. It is something that we will always have of up there. We also put pinecones and holly berries in the red roses arrangements. It looked beautiful.










The funeral and burial were beautiful. Grandpa would have loved it! They Orangeville City had the Bell ringing while driving up to the cemetery, gives me chills. That was Grandpa's doing, HE brought the bell back! It snowed so much! The cemetery was so peaceful with all the snow (very cold too). Hearing the horn play since by grandpa was a Veteran. It was the most beautiful graveside.

It was so nice to have the family there. Yes were were missing some people, but they were in our hearts. Now that a year has passed, I know that it doesn't always get easier. But at least the first year is gone. I have missed my grandpa so much this past year. He was an amazing man. There are times I will sit and think that my grandparents are watching over me. I have angels, I have 4 up there!

I miss you Grandpa! Your legacy lives on. We all miss you (grandchildren picture we are missing Todd and Nancy, great-grandchildren picture we are missing Tyler)

Happy Birthday, Grandpa

Today is Grandpa Rue's birthday. He would have been 79. It is the "first" birthday since he has passed. Every year since I have been on my own I have called him to tell him Happy Birthday. I would wait for him to pick up that phone and hear him say "Oh my stars!" and then when I would tell him Happy Birthday, he would say "how did you know it was my birthday" even though it seems we all knew it was his birthday. It was always around Stake Conference and we always tried to have a family BBQ on the deck. I have thought of Grandpa all day today. Mom and Julie even said on grandpas blog that he would always remind everyone that it was around the first day of spring and growing up, that meant he could take off his undershirt. Well, it didn't feel like spring today. It has been snowing! I hope Grandpa has been enjoying his birthday today. I've been thinking of him all day! I love you grandpa! Always and forever!

Challenge is..........

I have set up the other blog for the family. I am just needing the email addresses to add to the account. I set up a blog for my family to write memories of Grandpa so we can keep his legacy going. I hope the family takes me up on the challenge and does participate with the blog. I think it will be fun to keep up on the family blog.

Memorial Day Weekend

The plans of Memorial Day Weekend didn't end up going like they were planned. I worked Friday night and traffic going south Friday night is always A-W-F-U-L! So, I decided to just get some sleep and get up Saturday morning and head home. Traffic down the canyon wasn't bad at all. I made it down to OV around 10:30, stopped at mom and dads to make the potty break then headed up to Joe's Valley. We just sat around the fire and talked. It was really relaxing.. Then it started to rain and so we went into the trailer. Dad bought a new TV with a DVD player and we watched Karate Kid. Mom made the famous puppy chow (YUM!) Me and dad were on the bed watching the movie and I fell asleep. Mom was at the table and she read her book. She was so excited because she read a book in 24 hours. After the movie, we drove down to OV to call Morgan for her birthday. But nobody answered. So we got some gas for the generator and then headed back up to the mountains. When we got up to camp, it was nice weather so we decided to start making the tin foil dinner. Mom and Dad made them PERFECT! Right when we got done eating, it starting raining again. So we loaded everything up and went back into the trailer. We stuck in another movie and mom started yet another book. I of course, fell asleep so they got my bed ready and all 3 of us were to bed by about 8-9. We were so exhausted. About 10 there came a pounding at the trailer door. I yelled "DAD! Someone is at the door" I was having a dream that another camper was coming after us so I needed my dad to open the door, lol. he jumped up and shook the trailer. He got to the door and it was Officer Gail Jensen. He was told to come up and tell us that Grandpa was taken over to Castleview Hospital. Mom asked him if he knew why, he said that all he knew is he was taken by ambulance. We knew it was something serious if they sent the police to come and get us. So we all jumped up and got the bags packed and jumped in the truck and headed home. We got to the house, took a quick shower so we wouldn't smell like campfire then we were on our way. Grandpa was on his way to Provo for kidney and liver failure. We made it up to UVRMC around 3. We all got some sleep in the ICU waiting room and took turns going in the room to spend time with grandpa. Me and my parents left Provo yesterday around 2 or 2:30 to head back down to OV so we could get the trailer and my car off the mountain. It was raining so much up there. Lowry Creek was pretty full! We got it down just fine but we were all pretty exhausted. I came home to Salt Lake today. I stopped at the hospital to see Grandpa. He looked at me and said that he knows that I am someone he should know. I said he's right. I'm his granddaughter, I'm Lori's daughter Nicky. After that, Kristi and Mitch came in and they asked him if he knew who they were. He said of course I do.. You're Nicky Vicky and Nicky Micky. There were a few times he even called out for Grandma Nell saying that he was ready and "let's go Nell"

So this memorial day weekend wasn't what was planned. I had camping and fishing planned and it turned into camping and rushing to the hospital to be with grandpa. Is there anyway I can turn back time? Oh well, the weather wasn't all that great to go camping and fishing anyway.. I do know that I am tired of being so emotional. I started crying at the hospital when Grandpa looked at me in the eyes and said "Nicky, you have such beautiful eyes" my mom was there and I just couldn't hold back the tears. I just started crying. He had even gone back in time to where he wanted to go to talk to the students. He wanted to talk to Nicky and Nancy's teachers at the elementary. And he needed to talk to a member of the school board and even the principal. I asked him well what about talking to Barrett and Tammy and he said he can't talk to Barrett because he is 2000 miles away and he could talk to Tammy. He said the teachers needed to be on one end of the table and him on the other. The nurses were laughing. They asked what he taught. He said "I taught for 19 years and you don't remember!" He has a sense of humor for sure! But he sure did keep telling me that he loves me.

Well, I'm off to bed. I took a nap when I got home from traveling from EC. It's just been an exhausting weekend. Keep Grandpa Rue in your prayers!