I have decided this year that I will put a shout out to all of my family members on their birthdays here on my blog, including my grandparents who have all passed on. Today is Grandpa Emerson's birthday! I have a long and extensive list of memories and good times that were shared with him, but I won't share them all today.
Grandpa was an early riser and when I say early I mean early! Like 4am!! This came from living on the farm growing up and he continued it through out his life. I wasn't uncommon for us to get a call or even knock on the door early in the morning as we were heading someone he was ready to go before we even thought about getting out of bed! He also learned how to work on the farm and he was always doing some project in his yard growing things or constructing something to make it work better. He worked hard through his entire life. One job that he had that I loved was that he worked at Alta Ski Resort. This meant that we got a discount on the lift! We spent a good numbers of Saturdays on the slopes with dad and grandpa learning how to ski and it was always fun to get to the lift and see that grandpa was the one operating it! We also called him Poppy instead of Grandpa, if I remember correctly that name came form Sarah.
If I were to say 3 things that Poppy stood for it was family, religion, and education. I was able to benefit first hand from his love of these things. From these three things stem many more things but these were the basics. He cared much about his family and did anything that he needed to help them. Family was first, and I learned this in conversation and action. He often told stories about his family (okay, always he was a HUGE story teller) and he showed that he cared by all he did. He and Nana got a time share at Snowbird and we spent a week in the summer there every year. We had numerous sleepovers and lunch at McDonald's while growing up. He made us yummy eggs, that now would be considered bad for your heart with so much mayo, but boy were they good!!! I had the opportunity to help him as he got older and couldn't drive to take him to the store once a week and run a few errands for him. While it was difficult at times, I cherish those memories. He taught me what was important as we walked down the aisles of Albertson's. I also helped him in the yard and he taught me how to mow the lawn the right way!
Grandpa had a strong testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He lived it, he loved it and he helped to further the work here on earth and I know that he is also doing it on the other side. He supported numerous missionaries through temporal means and wrote faithfully to me while on mine sharing stories from his own mission. What a blessing that was, I cherish those letters and am thankful for his support. He served dilligently in every calling that was given, he always went above and beyond and did what wasn't asked but needed to be done. He served faithfully in the temple with Nana as well. I don't know that I heard him formally bear his testimony of the gospel but I knew he had one because of the way he lived his life, it bore witness to me every day and still does of his testimony and knowledge of what he knew was true!
Education, education, eduation!!! He was a huge support of getting more education! He always wanted us to be learning and made sure we were current on our studies and learning so that we could get degrees. He was a huge support for me while I finished my degree at USU. He was so happy for me to finish, and one of the best memories that I have is the day that I graduated. He had not been doing well but was adimit that he come to Logan for the graduation. It was great to have him there because he had been one of my biggest cheerleaders and I was there because of him. Not too long after that he really got worse and I count that day among my blessings because he was there and I felt his love and support.
On this day of your birth I honor you, salute you and thank you for all that you taught me. For many memories that I hold dear, for the legacy that you have left. We will never be the same. Happy Birthday Poppy, I love you!!!!!!!!
