Ivy

Anitra- have you had that baby yet?
Actually, my predictions are that today is her baby's birthday. I hope I am right. :)

Today I would like to introduce you all to Gary's Papa. It's not pronounced Paw Paw, it's Papa, rhymes with dada, the first words all my baby's, except Naomi, said.
It's a different kinda of Grampa name- but it's his name according to his grandchildren just the same.

I think this photo belongs on a billboard to advertise soda, Jones Soda preferrably. Don't you?

Truth be told, I barely knew Gary's Papa. I am sure I had said a few words to him but I was young when I moved to the town that Gary's family is from and hanging out with the senior citizens wasn't really how I spent my time. But I feel like I know him from all the stories I have heard and from being married to his oldest grandson.

There are a few things in our home that come from Papa.

First off, I have this very photo hanging on my kitchen wall-

We also have this beautiful wedding gift he gave Mama when they were married. It was first offered to Gary's sister who didn't want it for all the work it would take to fix it up. "Fix it up?!", I thought. No way, it is perfect the way it is. The old mirror does not need replacing and no way does it need new stain. I love this peice as it is and wished it photographed well because it's more beautiful in preson.
Love it!

If you look real hard in the mirror you will see these benches-

Papa built these benches for the children at church to sit on.
The children at church consisted of Gary's mom and her brother, when he built them.



Here is a picture of Gary's mom when she was but a wee child-

Wasn't she darling?
And does this not dispell any myths that Zoe looks like me? Seriously, look at those eyes

I also have this old pitcher that was Mama's that I found outside their home once filled with nuts and bolts. I love the lines she scratched in the pitcher the measure. I can only imagine all the things she made for her and Papa using this pitcher.

Papa also influenced Gary's bald head-

They say that a man's hair situation comes from the mother's father. So true in Gary's case. Gary's dad was considered bald too but Gary passed him in baldness at the age of 24.
(the facial hair is a post for another day!)

Another funny thing that Gary got from his Papa that I recently learned....
Gary's cousin (a good friend of mine since I was a teenager) Melanie told a story of riding in the car with Papa and having a new pack of gum. He would say, "Gimme a piece of that gum" and she would, and he'd chew it for a minute, spit it out, and ask for another. She said by the time they had got where they were going, he had chewed her whole pack.
That's SO Gary. The shortest piece of gum chewer ever.
I cringe when Gary wants a piece of my gum, it seems so wasteful! :)

I treasure the things we inherited from Papa, even if they are but 'things', mostly I cherish the memories they come with. I treasure just knowing with whom they once belonged. And even more importantly than that I am grateful for his part in being such a great Papa to my husband. Gary has the most wonderful memories of them fishing together and Sunday dinners. Papa died while Gary was on his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am so glad we have these things to hold onto until we meet again.

Oh, and by the way, my Nolan's middle name is Ivy, named after Papa.