His Hands!

Hi Landon and Mason, 

How was your week?  We are excited to hear from you again this week!  (we are are excited EVERY week).  It's been a pretty busy week here in Utah, with Grandpa Nielsen's funeral and having family in town. 

For family home evening this week we visited a replica of Moses' Tabernacle on BYU campus.   I guess someone with a lot of money had it built and it is being displayed at BYU for a few weeks.  We got tickets and enjoyed learning a little more about it and seeing some similarities between it and the temples of latter days.  Gracie wasn't as interested so I didn't get great pictures, but here are a few of it from the inside.  The tour was over 1 hour long so you can imagine it was a bit long for a 2 year old.  

Gracie was interested in this statue of Joseph Smith in the JSB building (where we met for the tour).  She asked for a picture of her with it.  So here is the picture! 

Grandpa Nielsen, someone (maybe Grandma) posted these picture and I thought I'd share.  I haven't see these in years and I don't know if you ever have either.  Mason is in the picture of him dancing by the organ and Landon and grandpa out to the farm feeding the cows.  

Grandpa's funeral was very nice.  It was a perfect beautiful fall day.  We drove down early Wednesday morning.  Lydia sang at the funeral, she sang "l'll be Seeing You".  You heard it the last time you visited him at the care center.  Lydia sang it for him then and he loved it.  

There was a viewing the night before and the morning of the funeral.  Here is a couple of pictures of the viewing.  There was also a display of family pictures there.  You mission pictures were there along with Cameron's representing our missionaries that were out serving.  

Grandpa looked good but looked little at the viewing.  I have a few pictures of him from the viewing and will send them to you separate if you would like.  I just didn't know if you wanted to see them or not.  Some people can be sensitive to that.  

But one picture I did want to send is his the picture of his hands.  I loved Grandpa's hands.  I think about all those hands did in 96 years and it amazes me.  I think of those loving hands always reaching out to give me a hug.  I also remember those hands as being hard working hands.  They farmed many years, planted many gardens, fixed many things.   I also remember those hands holding Grandma's hands, and I remember how those hands later in life became shaky and more weak and how life has it's challenges but we keep enduring.   I will miss those hands! 

I don't know if you remember or not but Grandpa loved Cadillacs, so it was really cool to see that the hearse for him was a Cadillac.  (Because Grandpa had served in the Navy, it also was a special car for WWII Navy veterans that happened to be a Cadillac).  Grandpa loved to go on rides in his Cadillacs round Cache Valley so it was very fitting for him.   

The hearse Cadillac took him on last ride to the farm.  

The pallbearers were all the grandsons

Grandma and Vickie rode in the Hearse

At the cemetery the American Legion did a special WWII tribute to Grandpa.  There was a reading, a flag ceremony, a gun salute and taps was played.  It was a special tribute for Grandpa's service in WWII.  He was part of such an amazing generation that I will miss.  

Jeremy gave a talk at the funeral.  He did a great job remembering many special memories.  One he shared was the soda fridge in the garage and how it was always fun to go get a soda out of the fridge.  Only to find that it was all "Diet" root beer.  It was funny as we call could remember.  At the cemetery he had coolers with A&W both diet and regular.  We all enjoyed a soda there remembering Grandpa. 

Jacob had fun with his "twin" cousins 

(Brandon shares his birthday with him and Hudson is 5 days older) 

 It's kind of sad to leave the casket at the cemetery, but overall the day was a happy day.  Grandpa had to be so happy with the celebration.  And I know he's happy to be on the other side with Grandma and not suffering anymore.  

 After we went to the church and Grandpa's old ward in Providence provided a lunch. Gracie had fun wearing his hat, and playing on the stage with all the other little kids.  

The next day Josh and Matt were still in town so I meet them all in SLC for lunch and then we went over to Temple Square for a little while.  It was the first time in a long time it was just my parents and my siblings (+Gracie).  It was a nice day!  

 Lydia had a choir concert this week.  They did a great job.  She is in a group called the singers and she is also in Concert Choir.  The singers is a group of 12 girls.  The picture below is of the singers.  

Dad photobombing Gracie!