This is Bill and Florence Zeman, my Dad's Parents. It was so fun and interesting to look through all their old pictures. It is amazing how their life was so different than ours now, but love is love, children are children and God is and will always be God! I am so thankful for their stories and their lives.
Here is Bud and AnnMarie Gebardt, my Mom's parents. Today marks 22 years since my Grandma died. Wow...I was only in 4th grade. It is amazing that that much time has gone by already. I am sad because I miss her, or am I more sad that I didn't get to know her better. Either way, I know that my Mom thinks of her daily....she was and still is loved.
Telling Bed Time Stories about MY Grandparents
Andrew asked me to tell him a story tonight, so I told him about my grandparents. The story started off simple with me telling him their names (William, Florence, Bud and AnnMarie)….he laughed and said they sounded funny. Then I explained their houses, what they looked like, how Grandma Gebhardts had a certain distinct smell, how Grandma and Grandpa Zeman were always sitting in their rocking chairs, etc. It brought be back to when I was young. I had a stop a couple times because I was tearing up. I couldn’t believe how much I remembered about what their houses looked like and how the garages were not connected (This whole time Andrew is asking Why? And how come? And was so interested in the story) I never really thought of my parents as little kids growing up in these houses, but that is where my story went and how poppy slept in the attic and how Babka played baseball in field behind their house and how my Grandma had a coo-co clock in the kitchen.
My mascara ran and Andrew said, “Mom, wait, something is wrong with your eyes.” I explained that I was sad and that I missed my Grandparents and how they are all in heaven right now and how they loved Jesus just like we do. I had to grin. It was such a sweet moment when Andrew wiped my eye to fix the black stuff and how I was pouring my heart out and telling stories to my 3 year old son who has a hard time understanding what “yesterday” means and I am talking generations ago.
Andrew kept saying, “I want to hear more about Grandpa Ze and Grandpa Ebhrts. I explained how G.Zeman loved working with his hands and how he had a garden and a big ol’belly. And how G. Gebhardt was tall, had big ears, came to all my sporting games (did you play mama?) and made Rubarb pie (“maybe you should make some mama to remember him” Andrew said). I gave Andrew a kiss on the forehead, thanked him for listening and told him I would show him pictures of my Grandparents someday soon. What big curiosity for a little kid (“how come they were born before us” he asked).
I look forward in sharing more stories about my grandparents with my boys considering they were such an important part of my life. I ended by saying that Andrew’s grandparents love him, just like my grandparents loved me.
