Legacy, too.

After re-reading my Legacy post, I reflected on my other grandparents, and feel the need to pay honor to them, too! Both sets of grandparents are very different from each other, and yet similar in their faith.

Grandpa and Grandma Macy lived on a farm much of my earlier years. I have memories of gathering potatoes out of Grandma’s garden, helping churn butter on the kitchen floor (often fighting with my brother over whose turn it was,) and eating “cold old,” (Grandma’s term for ice cream, frozen directly in the ice box- freezer, rather than churned like we do.) My sister and I would play school with Grandma’s old worksheets she pulled out of the attic from her teaching days. I think I inherited my teaching from her as well as my other grandmother. My sister especially inherited that ability! Perhaps my love for gardening comes from that side as well, although both sets of grandparents enjoyed gardens.

While living on the farm, Grandma Macy worked at their church as secretary. Uncle John would get out the horse, Ned, and we would ride up the country road to the church to say hi. We would peek at her through the window, then ride back so one of my siblings could enjoy a turn. There was an old buggy in the shed I was fascinated by. One time it was fixed up so that rides could be taken while we had an extended family reunion. That was a treat!

Though I probably spent more time with Grandma those early years, I also have memories of going with Grandpa in his truck to unload hay bales, or to gather manure from a special storage spot. It’s funny, I remember the manure. At the time, I had no idea what manure really was! It just looked like dark soil to me. As a gardener now, I would love to have my hands on that!

Grandpa had a love for ancestry and would try to tell us each time who was who in pictures. Their hallway walls were covered in them. I never did get it all memorized, (names would jumble in my mind) but I think I know a few. There are things like this that I wish I would have valued more. Grandpa was also very smart, though I am not sure he would have agreed with me. He was quite humble about his skills. He was able to use things on hand to do what was needed. For instance, he made his own photograph enlarger.

I know it is rare to have family who believe, and I had it on both sides. Grandpa and Grandma always took us to church each Sunday we stayed with them. I loved seeing Grandma wear hats to church. I’m not sure if she wore them every Sunday, but this is how my brain remembers. Every morning in their home, Grandpa would read scriptures, then lead us in prayer. We were expected to kneel at the dining table chairs each time, and if I remember correctly, we did this before we even had our breakfast. As a child, I was bored with this routine, but I would give anything to hear my Grandpa pray now and to kneel at those very chairs with them. I appreciate the fact Grandpa was a solid male leader in the family.

When I was twelve years old, my grandmother suffered ovarian cancer. I forever have her last words imprinted on my heart. We were given the chance to say goodbye to her in the hospital. I leaned over to kiss her on the cheek, and she kissed me. And she said, “I’ll see you in heaven.” I answered back, “Yes, Grandma, I’ll see you in heaven!” Her words were instrumental in keeping me continually looking forward to eternity. I have done all I could to be sure I fulfilled that promise. I can’t wait to meet her and Grandpa both again. And as I pass on their legacy, too, I can’t wait for them to meet many more who have followed after them. Someday perhaps, we will all sit around in heaven sharing our stories. We’ll share together about the mercies of Jesus flowing over us, share how we endured life because of Him. Oh, how I have questions I want to ask!