A Letter From Grandma

My dear Sweethearts,

The whole reason for my blog is to make a book for you to read someday.  A book full of memories from Grandpa and Grandma's farm.  A book full of growing up days.  A book about our courtship and our wedding.  A book about our first days together as "Mr. and Mrs."  On a cold winters night you can snuggle in your blanket, take this book, and go back in time, to when Grandpa and Grandma were young.

I wrote a story last week and named it "Our Guardian Angel"  I really don't know if there is such a thing as guardian angel's or not, but it seemed that someone was watching over us that dreadful morning.  I realize that story could be a bit upsetting to your tender, young minds, so that is why I am writing this letter to you.  Most of the time we can see good in even the bad.

Did you know that all angels don't wear wings...or a halo?  Some angels are human, just like you and me. In this letter I want to tell you about the "angels" who stood beside Grandpa and I on that day of the awful fire, those "angels" who encouraged a young farm family to lift their head, square their shoulders and go forward.

One of those "angels" lived in a little white farmhouse only a eighth of a mile down the road from our house.  They were the sweetest little couple.  They were like a Grandpa and Grandma to your mom and dad.  Their hearts were made of gold.  That morning I stood at their door with my little girl and boy, your mommy and daddy, they opened their arms to us.  It wasn't easy for Ruth to stay home with your mom and dad...watching Amos and I drive off on that icy road.  We will never know how far Amos had to go to get help that morning, but he went alone, over those icy roads.  He was not a young man either.  When you had friends like Amos and Ruth, you never felt alone. 

Some "angels" came in fire trucks.  You would not believe how those brave men fought our fire.  They had to leave their families and a lot of them were in church at the time.  It was Sunday morning after all. They came on icy roads and fought the fire in the cold and snow.  And you know what...they did it without one cent of pay!!  They just volunteer their time.  It just made me cry to watch them.

Then there was my Grandma and Grandpa.  They lived down the road from us, about one mile.  That was the place your Grandpa went the morning of the fire to do chores.  It was where we stayed at nights before they moved a mobile home in for us.  I loved those dear people.  Can you imagine how dirty we were at night after working among the soot and ashes all day?  They wouldn't complain one bit and even washed our old dirty cloths for us.  Grandma made every meal for us and if I offered to help with the dishes, she would say, "No dearie... you go take care of the clean up...I'll do the dishes"  Their house became our haven.  I'm sure their regular life style was upset, but we always felt at home.

One morning your Grandpa open the front door, to go out to do the chores.  There on the porch sat a brand new toy JD tractor and disc!! It was one of those big ones all shiny and bright...still in the box.  The implement dealer from town had brought it and we didn't even see them leave it!!  That sure did make your mommy and daddy's day!!  There were boxes and boxes of cloths and toys.  Everyone came to our aid.  We couldn't believe our eyes.

One afternoon I went over to the house alone to do a little cleaning up.  As I was walking through the snow I noticed that all our dishes were gone from the cupboards, and our good china was missing.  I drove over to Grandpa and stomped up to him. "Someone has come and took all our dishes and our china!!"  I just knew someone had stolen it.  I couldn't believe they would do such a thing.

Well about a week later I answered a knock on our door and there stood Don and Eula.  You all would remember Eula.  That sweet little couple!!!  They told me that they had something for me.  Don went out to their cute little car and brought up two or three boxes.  In those boxes were all my dishes and my china...all clean, shiny, and packed up perfectly.  They had quietly come over and got all that dirty stuff, took it home and worked and worked to clean it up for us!!! 

There was the insurance man who walked with us as we decided what to do for a new home.  He made sure we were settled and everything was what we wanted.  There were neighbors who came to help clean up or just give us a word of encouragement, or a pat on the back or a hug.  There was my mom and dad who took your mommy and daddy home for a week.  Grandpa's mom and dad came to help us move into our new home.  Our mailbox was filled with letters and cards of love and care.

So see...little ones...you can find "angels" everywhere, and God sends them to you when you need them the most.  You will never walk alone in this world, unless you choose to.  So keep your young eyes and hearts open...you never know...someday you may have the privilege of being someone's "angel".  If you do get this wonderful privilege, do it quietly and willingly and with a heart full of love and compassion...because that is when it means the most.

                                                                      Love you bunches,
                                                                      
                                                                       Grandma