Memorial day 2012

For Memorial Day we had the awesome opportunity to go visit the graves of Mama's ancestors.  The trip allowed for us to stop along the way to see where my grandparents were raised.  It was one of my favorite days because I love my family history.  I am so proud of my family, how they have taught me many things and shaped me into who I am today.

This is the home my grandma grew up in.  There were 13 kids in her family and they all lived in this cute house.  It is a one bedroom house with a living room and later they added on a bathroom and kitchen.  All the girls slept in the bedroom with their parents, they had two large beds, and the boys slept in the garage.  Not all of the kids were at home at the same time.  3 children passed away and grandma's big brother got married 9 days before my grandma was born.  Nobody lives in the house now.

 We visited my grandma's parents grave.

 And their children.  My heart just broke for my great grandparents.  They lost their first baby at 13 days old, a little boy named James to pneumonia.  I never knew that my great grandma went through what I went through and I just cried, knowing that she felt the pain that I felt, in losing our first children, our babies.  I felt close to my great grandma that day. 

 Wilda was only 7 weeks old when she passed away from whopping cough. 

 And Arthur passed away at 9 1/2 years old to meningitis. 

We then traveled to see the house my grandpa grew up in.  I remember going to this house and visiting my great grandmother.  I remember the windows being bigger, but as a child, everything is bigger. Grandpa only lived in this house during the school year, during school breaks and the summer he was working up on the family ranch. 

 

 We visited my grandpa's parents grave.  Grandma Ruby was the only great grandparent I remember on my mom's side of the family.  (I do remember my father's, mother's parents)

 And right across from Grandpa's parents are my great, great grandparents grave!  It was raining very hard so we couldn't see the writing very well, but it was so neat to be able to see their grave!

I am so thankful for my family members who have passed away.  I love them and I love reading stories about them and getting to know them through family history.  I love them all so much.