Memorial Day 2011

This Monday was Memorial Day and to celebrate my day off of work we decided to make some decorations and take them to the graveyard. We started off by having the kids decorate a piece of paper however they wanted. Ethan started writing letters and numbers, such a proud mother moment.Katelee was drawing all kinds of things. Don't mind her hair, we were still in our PJs and hadn't done our hair yet!

After they were done decorating the paper we cut them out in the shape of hearts and put them on plastic knifes so they would stick into the ground.

Katelee had one flower and the rest were hearts, she was so proud!!

After we got dressed and did our hair we headed over to pick Grandma Blackburn up and headed over to the graveyard. There was a Veterans memorial service going on so we had to take the long way around to my Grandma and Grandpa Stewart's grave. We let the kids pick which hearts they wanted to put by the grave.

I talked to them briefly about my grandparents and how much I love them and can't wait to introduce them to them one day. I know introductions will not be needed, but I guess I'm more excited to have them see me with them! I have been greatly blessed with great grandparents on both sides of my family. I love going to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Blackburn and love even more that they have gotten to meet my kids and get to know them. Although I did not have that experience here on earth with my Stewart Grandparents, I know I will have that experience in the next life with them!

Here we are with our finished product. I think their little hearts looked cute. After decorating this grave we walked down to my Great Uncle Cecile and Aunt Toddies grave and left two hearts there. I remember going to visit them at their house and having so much fun. We would endure a grueling 10-15 minutes of adult conversation before one of us kids would ask if we could go out back and swing. They had swings made out of big tires and Uncle Cecile would get pushing us pretty high!!! He was missing some fingers and I remember that always seemed weird and interesting to me that he was still able to function without them. He was the best at horse shoes and my Aunt Toddie would tell stories about actual American Indians ransacking their house when she was young. As a kid those stories were exciting, as an adult they are pretty scary...

After that we got in the car and headed to the other side of the graveyard to visit Russ and Arlene Howard's grave. These are my Uncle's parents. I never knew Russ, he died the year I was born so I don't know much about him from my own personal experiences. I remember Arlene though, she was a sweet lady that laughed at all my dad's silly jokes. I still remember what she looked like and even what her house and especially her backyard look like. She was exactly what you expect a grandma to be, cuddly, squishy and always smiling. We left two hearts there as well and then we headed home.

I love sharing stories about the special people in my life to my kids. I love describing how they looked, what they said and how they made me feel. I know most the times my kids just look at me with a blank stare, or don't even act like I'm talking... But even if they aren't listening or paying attention I feel good remembering the people that have shaped me into the person I am today. I love thinking about the way my Grandpa Stewart would embarrass me every time he introduced me to people. He would always say, "This is my granddaughter Hilary, she got three varsity letters as a freshy!" I'd blush and say, "oh grandpa stop it!" And he'd beam with pride. Oh how that embarrassed me and made me feel so special all at the same time. My Grandma Stewart was such a good example to me growing up. She always smiled and loved on us grand kids. When she was going through some treatments for her cancer she would get a lot of gas stuck in her tummy and didn't know how to burp it out. I took great pride in the day she asked me to teach her how to burp! Sounds silly, but I knew how to do it well and I felt so helpful. Towards the end she didn't smile as much, but would sure try to when we would come and say good-bye and kiss her. Such sweet memories that I fear one day I will lose. So before I do I want my kids to hear them and know them for themselves!!!

Not only did we remember those that we know, but also those that we don't know who gave their lives for us so we can live in this free land of America. We may not be perfect, we might not be where I wish we were, but there is no other place I'd rather be! How thankful I am for this Memorial Day that allowed me the time to reminisce about those close to me that have passed on! How I love them all and cannot wait for the day when I can hug them all and see their smiling faces again!

God be with you till we meet again!