Grandma Kath and Papa Bill

Grawma left this morning so now we are sad.

I should have taken a lot more photos, and then I should have taken better care of said camera so I could down load the few I actually took. I will blame it on the girls that is always more fun.

This is the tale of Grandma Kath and Papa Bill.

If you have other things to do that is OK, I realise it could get lengthy and there are no photos as just mentioned, but for personal records here is the tale of our "Soul Grandma"



My husband served a mission in Michigan from '88-'90

He is the only son, and his mother was very worried for him. She is a worrier any way,  I always say that if she didn't have something to worry about, she worry about the fact there wasn't anything to worry about. The fact that her only son would be gone for two years with out her was a little too much for her to handle. My father in law gave him a blessing (a special prayer) that he would be looked after while away, and that he would find someone on his mission who would be like a second mother to him, watch over him, and care for him while he was gone.

He went to Michigan and was there for about a month. His first companion was a football player,and very big my sweetheart is neither, he had a 29" waist up until six years ago. One day he and his athlete companion were walking down the road his companion about ten yard ahead of him. Across the street in a cafe watching this from the window was Grandma Kath.

She had been baptised herself only two months prior, so she was familiar with the missionaries. She turned to her friend and said "Oh my look at that little missionary" He touched her heart that second. She invited them to dinner at her house and had a "greenie" meal for him. All the food was green and the funny thing is, is that the man hates green food. While she was making dinner she looked out the window to see that a dog had torn apart her garbage. It was all over the back yard and for a single mother and nursing student it was too much for her to take. They ate the green dinner and while she was doing the dishes she once again looked out the window and saw my sweet husband picking up all the garbage off her lawn. Once again her heat was touched. They all sat around talking and getting to know each other, later my sweety fell asleep on her couch, she has said that when she put a blanket on him she felt a wave of motherly love sweep over her for this little missionary asleep on her couch.

I don't know your faith or what you believe, but for me this is a testament that the Lord knows us, and our needs. The Lord knew that my Mother in law needed to know someone would be out there loving her son. The Lord knew that a missionary in Michigan, was going to need someone he could call and get support only a mom can give. Most importantly the Lord knew that a junior in high school was going to graduate, date and marry this missionary and need another mom in her life.

I could sit here for hours and tale you tales of our Grandma Kath. She told him what kind of girl to marry (once again glad I made the cut) Good looking and I got engaged in Alaska he called her at three o'clock in the morning Michigan time to tell her I said yes. They drove twenty hours in an old beat up van to be there on our wedding day. I tell her that our anniversary, is also her and my anniversary because it was the first day we met. I was so happy when they moved to Arizona that way they could be closer. They have been here for every baby blessing and baptism, we have been there for almost every Easter. She has helped in raising the children and dealing with all the drama in our lives. If something happens she is usually the first one I call.

We have told the girls they have blood Grandma's and Grandma Kath. I was thinking about it the other day and I think this is the best way to explain it.

I was adopted so I believe the Lord looked down and found the mother I needed. He then stepped in and gave me the mother I wanted.

We all grow up loving our Mother's everything about them, but then we wish they could be different. That is what Kath is, she is the mother I wished for when mine was driving me nuts as a teenager. Now that my own mother is living in the middle of the ocean serving her own mission, it is really nice to have Kath come and visit. She says she loves us like we were hers and our girls truly were her first grand daughters. We are all in the will along with their own kids. We are loved and bonded to each other. It is amazing what happens when the Lord steps in.

Just so you know Kath is married I promise he is our Papa Bill. After playing with the girls he sits in the chair and holds his heart and says "You have no idea how good this is for me".  He is one of the hardest working men I know. He would work in the hot Arizona sun all day and then come home and start a major project, like yard work or working on the car, nothing ever waited until the week end. If it needed to be done it was going to be done that second. I have often told the girls that I hope they marry men who know how to work. I don't care what degree they hold, I just hope that they know how to be men, and they know how to work, just like Papa. It may seem a little past tense, that is because a few years ago Papa was diagnosed with MS.He can't work anymore, he can barely walk, he has to ride around in a scooter, he has braces on his legs, and he is still the same, While he was here he sanded and stained our deck, because he said it needs to be done and Good Looking was busy working. 

She did all my laundry, cleaned the pantry, cleaned the storage room and we started making Christmas presents for the sister's. She did it all, and said the whole time said this is what parents do and I am glad to help you out. They are going to be back in July, she said to make a list of all the things that they can help with when they get back, It is going to be one long June waiting for them to come back, I hope we can make it.