Gratitude #15

Today's Gratitude is for grandparents.  I know I already talked about my Grandma Richens but I felt I should say that as the year mark of her death approaches the more I miss her.   Also the seven year mark of Grandpa Richens' death is coming.  As part of this post I want to tell something that very few people know.  Grandpa Richens died in a car accident on his way home from Church.  I have carried with me a deep regret from that day.  Usually I would take the opportunity to hug and kiss Grandma and Grandpa before we went our seperate ways after Church.  I would also get to talk with them a little bit.  I'm not sure why but on that day I didn't get to do those things.  Then at home I was sitting on the couch when the phone rang.  The next thing I remember was Mom and Dad putting on their coats and heading out the door because there had been an accident.  I wanted to beg that I could go but afraid of what I would see.  So I didn't ask to go.  Not long after they left the ambulances flew past our house.  It was the longest wait of my life.  Finally the ambulance came back through and while it was still going fast it wasn't as fast as when it was going the other direction.  Also the lights were going but not the siren.  I felt very anxious.  Did that mean they were dead?  I felt so heavy in my heart.  Mom called to say that both Grandma and Grandpa were being transported but that they were talking.  I had hope that they would make it.  Mom and Dad came home and took us over to the hospital.  We sat outside the ER for what seemed like hours.  Mom was allowed to go in and sit with Grandma but if I remember correctly Grandpa had taken a turn for the worst.  It was decided that he was going to need to be taken to the Wasatch Front.  It was too stormy for Life Flight to come get him so they transported him to the air strip in Vernal.  He died before they could put him on the plane.  I remember the devastation I felt when we were told.  As a family we prayed and talked.  How grateful I am for my family.  Everything we did together helped me remember that it wasn't the end of Grandpa  That he would live on and that someday we would be able to see him again.  I learned a lot from that experience.  I miss them terribly.
My Grandpa Perkins died when I was little.  I remember very little about him.  But I knew that he loved me and I knew that I loved him.  I wish I could remember more about him.  I do miss him as well. 
My Grandma Mary Perkins died when my dad was little.  All I have are pictures.  One thing has always stood out to me in the pictures.  You can see the deep love my grandparents had for each other.  She was beautiful.  I wish I knew her.
Grandma Lorrie Perkins is alive and living not far from my parents.  I am grateful that she was there to help my Grandfather with his motherless children.  Thank you for taking care of him and them.  As a child I remember that through the summers after grandpa died that we would go to her home to cut her grass, plant and then weed and water her garden.  We would also go over and clean her house.  At the time I was confused and thought she must be really old because she couldn't care for her own home.  It wasn't until later that I learned that she was much younger than my other set of granparents.  For a while I will admit that I resented her a little after that.  Now that I am older I can look at those experiences and be grateful for the things I learned from it.  I learned a lot about serving others.  I am grateful for that.
I must also include Les' Grandmothers in this post.  I am grateful for the things that they have done to help shape my husband into the man he is.  He loves them very much and our children get to see them and interact with them.
I am grateful for grandparents.