Memorial Day

This year was really low key for our family.  Since I am about 8 months prego we didn't do much.  We took the boys to see where my Grandfather was buried.  We pass by the cemetary almost every day and my boys kept asking me where Great- Grandpa Beard was buried, so we thought it appropriate to take them and put some flowers on his grave.

My Grandpa Beard was not a member.  He supported my grandma who raised 4 children in the church on her own.  He served in the Korean war and although I have not heard many stories about what happened to him over there I am sure there are tons to tell.  I know my grandma keeps the knife he carried around with him in the war in her kitchen drawer. 
He smoked since he was a young man.  He always drank too.  I never heard stories of him getting drunk but he always enjoyed his mixed drinks.  I remember growing up as a kid and when we would go to Grandma and Grandpa's house to visit he would be sitting at the kitchen table mixing his drinks and enjoying some program on T.V..

My grandpa is the man in the middle of the other two gentlemen.  This picture was taken during the Korean War.

My grandfather passed away in 1992 after a long battle with lung cancer.  Due to all the smoking he did, it took him pretty early at the age of 65 (I think, I know it was close to that age).

Now we go to his grave site almost every year to remember the great things he did.  He was a good man.  I don't remember a whole lot about him because I was alittle younger. I do remember him always having nicknames for all the grandchildren.  I can't remember what mine was, or if I even had one but I wonder what the nicknames he would give my children would be.  He has had all of his temple work done so we just hope that one day we will get to see him again.

My boys really enjoyed putting flowers on his stone and looking at all the decorations on everyone else's headstones.  It was nice explaining to them why we celebrate those who have passed on. I think Keaton understood it, but all Andrew would say was that he wanted to be buried in his bed at home and not in the ground.

We are only sorry we weren't in Arizona to visit Madalynn's headstone.  She was in our thoughts.  We sure miss her.