Memorial Day 2011

I know it's weird to say but Memorial Day is a favorite holiday for me. Maybe it's because I work with bereaved families or just because I love to honor my family members that I never got to meet and the ones I did get to meet I like taking time to remember them. Marcus and I ventured up to North Ogden with my family to the cemetary. (Dave was faithfully working on our yard and sprinkler system). My entire family was able to come up and visit with my Aunt Cleone, Aunt Elaine and Uncle Max. They know more about my family history on my dad's side and gave us an amazing tour of the cemetery and the houses in North Ogden where my family lived.It was freezing cold and there was snow on the ground but Marcus was a trooper. Here are the family members we remembered that day: 

 My twin sister, Amy and Angela, who were born premature before I was born. My mom always puts balloons on their grave to celebrate that we will see them again and she will get to raise them

 My grandma and grandma Randall. I love to hear stories of my Grandpa Randall because I never got to meet him. I can't wait to sit down with him and get to know him, I think we would have been best friends if he had lived longer. And of course my grandma Randall who I owe my life to, she was the one that made me realize what I wanted to do in life, work in Hospice.

 This is Naomi Randall's grave, she wrote "I Am a Child of God". I'm not sure how she is related but she is a distant cousin of my grandpa's and just died recently in 2001. I love to sing that song and see her name at the bottom knowing I'm related to her. We sing that song every night to Marcus and he loves it!

 This is my Uncle Allan's grave, he was the most recent member of my family to pass away. He passed away in 2008. I was really close with my Uncle Allan and he was my hero. I loved to hear his war stories. He knew how to make you feel really special. I miss him a lot.

 Here is my dad, mom, Aunt Cleone and Aunt Elaine. (my dad's sisters)

 This is the duplex my grandma lived in forever and ever. It used to be lime green. She lived on the back side on the right side of the picture. I remember only this house and the small apartment she has in Ogden. I used to play flying carpet in the backyard with the neighbor girl.

 This is the house my dad grew up in, he said those shades are the original shades on the windows.

 This was my grandpa's farm, he loved his cow farm and working outside

I'm not sure if this is the barn he built but I think this was one of his barns. It's so fun to think of him working his land there in North Ogden with my dad working beside him. I'm glad we have Memorial Day to take some time out of our busy lives and remember those people that have given us life and the Gospel.