Grandpa Hanson

On Saturday, we went to my moms house in Cedar Hills for "Cedar Hills Days." They were going to have fireworks, but the rain stopped that in it's tracks. But we did have an awesome time. Gary BBQed some hamburgers and my mom had bunches of yummy side dishes. After dinner, we played Monopoly with grandma H. She grew up playing with her sisters. I think she has seven sisters, but I'm not too sure. Anyway, she and her sisters are hard core and ruthless when it comes to Monopoly. They do anything it takes to win. They steal the money from free parking. They make low deals with each other and money mysteriously disappears from the bank. Since we were busy trying to distract grandma from remembering last summer, we played her way. We tried not to let her cheat, but sometimes things happen when you're not looking. Like her piece somehow moving to just the right property when no one was watching the dice.

The reason we were trying to distract her was because it was grandpa H's b-day on the 26th, and that's the same day he died a year ago. Grandma is really tough and strong, but I know she misses him. Sometimes I catch her crying at church and there were a few times I could tell that it wasn't because of the service.

Grandpa H. was one of the most amazing individuals. He was one of the few that made me feel smart when I was around him, no matter what stupid thing I'd just done. (I tend to be accident prone) I think all of my family had their own special bond to grandpa H. He was a father figure in my brother's life. My dad was there too, but sometimes divorces can get a little sticky and grandpa H. stepped in for my brother when he needed it the most.

It's funny that you don't realize some things about someone until you lose them. I knew I loved my grandpa, but I didn't realize how much of my testimony came from him. I grew up in the church and I lived with my dad for most of my childhood. He is LDS and went to church every week, so did the rest of the family, but I think that I piggy backed on grandma and grandpa H's testimony because of my parents divorce. Eternity seemed very short to me when my parents separated. They were supposed to last for time and all eternity, like we believe in our religion, but they didn't. When things like that got confusing to me, I looked to grandma and grandpa H, and grandpa H. always knew what to say. He was always rock hard in his beliefs, no matter who questioned him. Don't get me wrong about my parents divorce, I don't wish things were different, or that it never happened, I just struggled with the way things were then. When my parents faltered for once in their lives, I looked to my grandparents and that was something I never realized until after grandpa H. was gone, until after the sheltering strength of his testimony and soul was gone.

I'm just glad that I will get to tell him one day, even if I didn't get to tell him before he passed on.
Anyway, I didn't really mean to get sentimental. I guess it's just this time of year and remembering grandpa H.


This is a picture of grandma and grandpa H. at our wedding reception, about two months before he died.