Geneology

My Grandma called me this early afternoon. It was so nice to talk to her. I don't get to much. She is so cute....Her Birthday was on the 19th of June. I thought I would do what any Grandma loves, and write her a letter. I hadn't heard anything back about is, and didn't really think much about it either. Until today. She said, "Becky?" as I answered the phone. And I said, "Grandma!"

"You recognize my voice!" She replied.

Well of course she comes up on my caller ID. But I wasn't gonna tell her that. And even if it didn't, I would definitely recognize her voice.

So any how, she's telling me that she's so sentimental. She's been trying to write me back, but every time she sits down to do so, she cries. So of course as she's telling me this she's crying.....I Love my Grandma! :)

If you know my Grandma, then you know she's all about the genealogy. And well she's written two books about a couple of our ancestors, and she's found a new person to write about. You can hardly walk into a room with her in it without hearing about someone new she's discovered. And while I was younger, it was kinda boring I guess. I did have a bit of interest in Genealogy, but you know how teenagers are.....What does Bill Cosby call it....Brain Damage!

So I've always known that someday, I would end up with my parents Genealogy work. And seriously....That's Alot!!!! I will need an entire room to dedicate just to Genealogy. I was listening to my Grandma talk, and realized, I am so thankful for her and all of her work she has done. She has a few lines that date all the way back to Adam and Eve! And she's discovered another one she's pretty sure does the same. I just thought how overwhelming it would be for me to have to do ALL that work! But really, because of what she, my Grandpa, and my Nana have done.....well it makes my life easier. And I know that my parents continue to add to the records....and well if they keep going maybe I won't have any work to do ;) Kidding of course!!!

If there is one thing I will always remember about my Grandmother is a story of her and her mother. Of how one of the last things her mother told her is, "Doris, we sure will know our people." And you know, she really does know her people. And well I suppose what I am saying here is I want to know my people! So my grandma and I have set out to keep in touch and work with each other to do so. She understands that there is so much technology these days. But she doesn't know how it all works. So she's thought it would be a great idea for me to "Blog" about it. And try to come up with ways to get the "youth" of today in our family interested in our ancestors. Sure, why not?!

So Dad....you better get on it with that Gustafson Blog! :) That way I can learn as much as I can about your side of the family. Cause you know there will be no competition of information from Grandma :)

"There are millions across the world who are working on family history records. Why? Why are they doing it? I believe it is because they have been touched by the spirit of this work, a thing which we call the spirit of Elijah. It is a turning of the hearts of the children to their fathers. Most of them do not understand any real purpose in this, other than perhaps a strong and motivating curiosity.
There has to be a purpose in this tremendous expenditure of time and money. That purpose, of which we bear solemn witness, is to identify the generations of the dead so that ordinances may be performed in their behalf for their eternal and everlasting blessing and progress."

Gordon B. Hinckley

Oh the heat!

So I've been to Utah....Idaho...I know what hot is like....but really the humidity!?!?!?!? Come on! Thank goodness I whined enough to the hubby, he finally caved and bought an air conditioner last Sunday. Cause I tell you what, babies and humid hot, just a bad combination! Every time I have to load the kids into the car, they cry and whine all the way to our destination. If it's not because of the heat, it's the sunshine in their eyes. Our poor AC is having a really hard time beating the heat. Little does Owen realize it's still better than nasty, wet, normal Washington summers.

So we are supposed to break records today....yes Washington has never been over 100 degrees! The difference between Washington heat and Utah heat, in my opinion, is very different. When I was pregnant with Owen, it was about mid to upper 80's here in Washington. It was so unbearable, I chopped my hair 14 inches to get it off of my neck. My parents came and got me at the end of July to head for Utah. And well it was 107 degrees when we got to my parents house. I expected it to be really hot feeling, but to my amazement, it was actually very nice. Here, around 95 degrees, outside is unbearable! When you step outside, your breath is almost taken away from how thick it is. At least it was when we were having thunder and lightning storms the other day. It's funny how crazy of a winter we had here and now the Spring and Summer....what the heck is Fall going to be like!?

Any who....just wanted to whine a bit....ok alot!

My Nana

I was so young when she died.....but I remember the exact moment I found out. It was late at night and my mom was at the grocery store, my dad at work. The phone rang....it was Lane calling to get a hold of my dad. Because Nana was in the hospital. I told Lane I would call my dad as soon as possible, and he told me it was an emergency and to get him there quickly. I reached for my mom's, older than me, address book to look up dad's work number. I was shaking like a leaf, I was so nervous to call my dad's work because I never had before. I'm not even sure how the conversation went, it was all a blur. Mom comes walking through the door with some groceries and asked if Vern could help her. That's when I chimed in..."Dad's on his way home, Uncle Lane called and said Nana is in the hospital and it's an emergency. I think my mom just about lost the groceries at this point. She instantly started packing us kids for an overnighter.
It seemed like it was only five minutes later and dad was walking through the door. He didn't say much. He was very serious. Us kids didn't ask any questions, we loaded up in the car and were at Lane and Cathy's house in a matter of minutes. Kriste opened the door and off were mom and dad to the hospital.
That night all of us cousins played. We were singing Karaoke to Ace of Base and playing video games. It was alot of fun really. I think we stayed up until three in the morning. Britt, Eric, Vicky, and myself all fell asleep on the floor in the basement. I'm not sure where Karl and Vern ended up, probably in the boy's room. All of a sudden I was awakened by a tap on my shoulder, it was Vicky. She said, "Becky, Nana died last night." We just sat there silent for a few moments.
Of course it really hadn't set in. We just kinda kept playing as if nothing really happened. Then Mom and Dad walk through the door. I walked up to my parents and lost it. I just remember holding my Dad's waist and bawling. I don't think I could stop for a while. That's, I think, when it hit everyone else.
I missed about two weeks of school because I couldn't control my emotions. I had spent so much of my young childhood looking up to this woman, and she was dead. I thought she was so neat, I tried to be just like her. I would watch how she ate, how she cleaned, and how she laughed. I remember her saying "Oh Hell" and "Oh Hal".....it was cute. How every time she would laugh, she's throw her had back and and slap her knee. I still remember the smell of the lotion she put on every time she would walk out of the bathroom.
I remember the warm feeling that came over me at her funeral. It felt like a warm hug in the middle of a cold, windy, wet, winter day. It felt like a hug only Nana could give. I still have a hard time listening to "How Great Thou Art". I tear up most anytime I hear it. And when it's sang in church....forget it....I lose it.
And of course, as I'm writing this I'm a little teary. But I still feel really close to my Nana. I still dream about her. And I think of her often. As I do all of my grandparents. I suppose I'm sharing this because I feel like I need to. I feel like she deserves to be remembered. And I love her so much!