Memorial day...

My husband has a hero... his name is Grandpa Baker.  As I sit here with Memorial Day 2013 drawing to a close, all I can think about is Grandpa.  

Have you ever met someone whose spirit reminds you so much of another you have loved before?  That's how I feel about Grandpa... from the moment I met him, his beautiful spirit shined through... He reminds me so much of my hero, my sweet Nannie.  She passed away years ago, but I'm sure if Grandpa and Nannie had ever had a chance to meet they would have been fast friends... they are both so loving and welcoming... 

Although I have only known Grandpa for a short time in life, he has made a mark on my heart that is undeniable... something which I believe he has done for many other people who have crossed his path.

I will never forget the first time Grandpa and I really talked... He told me all about his "sweetheart"... she had passed away several years before... ladies this is fair warning --- tissues might be needed... I don't know if I ever heard a man talk so adoringly about the woman he loves... maybe that kind of bravery comes with age... it was beautiful...

After listening to him talk about his sweetheart, I knew that Grandpa Baker was the kind of man that women usually only read about in books (today books like that are written by Nicholas Sparks)... after I learned about Grandma Baker, he asked me if I wanted to see her picture... of course I said yes!  I'm not sure what I was expecting... but I could not have imagined anything more sweet... Grandpa pulled out a picture from his wallet of Grandma from the day they got married... y'all that was a LONG time ago... he had "laminated" it with clear tape so the picture would stand up to year after year in his wallet... folks, when people say "they don't make 'em like that anymore" they are talking about Grandpa Baker.

I've never asked my sweet husband why Grandpa Baker is his hero... upon meeting Grandpa there was no need to ask... He is a hero in so many ways...

For the way he served his country in WWII...

For the way he loved his wife...

For the way he raised his children...

For the way he adores his grandchildren and great grandchildren...

For the way he loves Our Lord...

On Memorial Day I am reminded of not only Grandpa Baker's service to our country... I am also reminded of his incredible spirit and the wonderful way he has touched the lives of so many people.

  

My husband with his hero!

Thank you for everything, Grandpa... I love you!


Sincerely...

HGrohn

embrace...

Austin and I are coming up on our 1 year anniversary... that's right folks, this amazing man has put up with me for a WHOLE year almost... haha!

I think about our wedding day and the days leading up to the event A LOT... just ask Austin and he will verify it... 

There were wonderful, difficult, stressful, and exhilarating moments during those days... and I would love to say that the "good" feelings outweighed the "not-so-good" feelings... but that's not necessarily the truth.  I would love to say that I was one of those brides that "let it go" and just enjoyed each little moment... BUT, I wasn't... at least not the whole time...

Some of you reading this don't know me or Austin... and have no idea that our family and friends traveled across the country (literally) to share our wedding day with us... and rather than taking full advantage of every moment with them in the days leading up to the wedding, I was, instead, a big ball of stress and nerves... Austin might have even thought I had "bride-zilla" tendencies (although he is too sweet to say that out loud... y'all he bears with me better than any person in this world... I am truly, truly blessed to be his wife)...

To put it kindly I was a mess the days before our wedding day... and somehow the morning of our wedding I finally did "let it go"... absolutely all of it... a feeling of peace and joy came over me that I know was given to me by God and the Holy Spirit... I can promise you I would have never gotten to that "good place" on my own... 

So on the bright side... I loved, appreciated, and enjoyed every moment of the day I got married... I took advantage of what little time I had left to share with our friends and family... it was a GREAT day... it was a day the Lord had made!

However as thankful as I am for that wonderful day... I still wish it hadn't taken me so long to "let it go"... 

Our wedding taught me a lesson that I want to share with all of you... something that I am still working on each day (some days are definitely better than others)... but here it is...

EMBRACE every moment the Lord gives you... enjoy your friends and family... tell them that you love them... really, really spend time with them --- rather than trying to mulit-task while you are with them... be fully present in those moments because they are precious... those moments are a gift from God and we shouldn't waste them being stressed or worried or whatever... let us always remember...

"This is the day the Lord has made; 

  We will rejoice and be glad in it."

--- Psalm 118:24

Sincerely,

HG

Nice to meet y'all...

So I decided to start blogging... and this isn't my first attempt... or even my second... but that's ok.  I've been inspired by friends and loved ones about the value of blogging... not only for the writer but for the reader.  Allow me to introduce myself and my blog.

Introduction question #1... WHO am I?

answer:  I'm a woman who loves a lot of things... my husband, my family and friends, our sweet pups, and my Lord.  Some days I'm creative... some days I can't come up with a single interesting or original thought... but I am a THINKER... I analyze almost everything (even without knowing it sometimes)... I try to manage my risks... I'm not great with change unless I'm getting my hair cut... I really, really, really like coffee from this local shop near my office... I feel like I'm on the brink of a great big adventure... which is thrilling and incredibly frightening all at the same time... 

Introduction question #2... WHAT will I be blogging about? 

answer:  I don't know... I have ideas... but I'm not putting any limits on what I will or won't write about... the blog doesn't really have a specific focus... I am just going to share things that I want to share... and not share the things I don't... pretty simple.

Introduction question #3... WHEN will I blog?

answer: As often as the mood strikes or doesn't... which means, this could be my first blog of many... or this might be my only blog post ever... we will have to wait and see.

Introduction question #4... WHERE will I blog?

answer: Ummm... on my blog... duh. lol.  You are here, so you clearly know the web address (grohnlife.blogspot.com)... but maybe you are wondering what's up with the name of my blog... well about a year ago I got married to the best man I know... he's the sweetest, kindest, most loving and generous person I have ever met... He is without a doubt my best friend and I am so incredibly thankful that God brought him into my life.  When we got married, I took his last name... Grohn... and I've always liked interesting words... words that mean one thing when you read them and then another thing when you hear them.  Well my new name, Grohn, is pronounced like the word "grown"... Webster's dictionary defines "grown" like this...

grown (adjective, \ˈgrōn\)

1 : fully grown : mature <grown men and women>
2 : covered or surrounded with vegetation <land well grown with trees>
3 a : cultivated or produced in a specified way or locality —used   in combination <shade-grown   tobacco>
  b : overgrown with —used in combination <a weed-grown patio>

So I titled my blog "aGROHNLife" because I am growing up with this new name... becoming part of a new family... building my own family... God is cultivating me in a special way... and maybe I won't ever be completely "grown" up, but I love being "Grohn". 

Introduction question #5: WHY am I blogging?

answer: Because I want to... because blogging is a great way to share stuff with your family about happenings in your life... because its a great way to share advice (or opinions) that might just be read by someone who needs them... I am blogging because some times I have things to say, and this gives me a place to say them.  

Well it was nice to meet all of you... happy reading!

HGrohn