Memories

Dates have many different things associated with them;
holidays
(Papa, Grandad, Grammie, The Lowe Girl--at Thanksgiving in Holiday, UT one week before our oldest son was born),














marriages, new babies
(Grandad holding our oldest son),
















baby blessings, (Grammie, the Lowe Girl, the Big Guy Lowe holding our oldest son after he was blessed in church, Grandad, Aunt Laura, Uncle Brett and their oldest son)
graduation, (The Big Guy Lowe's graduation with honors from the University of Utah--Grammie, The Big Guy Lowe holding our oldest son, Grandad)














family gatherings (Visiting Uncle Brett and Aunt Laura and their family in CO),
new homes, moves and many other events.


Today is a date with which many emotions are associated in our family. We choose to remember the wonderful ways Grandad blessed our lives before and how he continues to bless our lives as we look forward.

I am thankful for The Big Guy Lowe's Dad, our Grandad Lowe. I am thankful for the family he raised; for the wife that he loved and the kids that cherished him growing up and continue to now as adults. I am thankful for the example he gave my husband in caring for a family, for my husband has learned well.

One example that makes me grateful for Grandad is the lesson he helped my husband learn of the greater importance relationships have over "things". My husband tells of his experience as a novice driver behind the wheel of his dad's car. He was trying to back out of the garage, carefully trying to back out, when somehow he got too close to something and a horrible scraping sound was heard. My husband explains that he didn't know what to do so he tried to get out faster--only making the damage worse(you've got to love those teenage choices we make!!). He shared that he felt sick when he saw the damage, and like any teen wasn't looking forward to facing his father. His dad, recognizing the anguish his son was experiencing as well as the limited experience his son had driving, made a choice that has had a lasting effect on him then and now. His dad didn't ground him or yell at him, but simply said "It's only a car" bringing great relief to his remorseful son. That was something that my husband nicely said to me a few months ago when some wood I was transporting in my car damaged the interior, something my husband said shortly after he was rear-ended by a teenage girl driving with a learner's permit accompanied by her grandmother. Sometimes my husband can look pretty intimidating--shaved head, tall, dark suit, chisled jawline, crystal-blue eyes (so HOT!). Following the accident, the grandmother of this new driver said how grateful and relieved she was when she experienced the concern my husband had for them instead of experiencing a stranger's anger over the damage done to his car. My husband's dad taught him well.

I didn't get much time to get to know him in this life, but I have continued learning of him through the boy he raised; a boy that loves his dad, misses talking with him in person, and looks forward to being reunited with him after this life as we know families are forever. I know Grandad loves the son he raised and recognizes the wonderful man, father, and husband his son has become.

So today, we are celebrating our Grandad Lowe. We miss him...five years now, but we will always make sure our boys know him and love him through the stories, pictures and love we share.