Bittersweet Weekend

My Grandpa passed away last month, January 18th. As I mentioned before, I went to the funeral by myself, so Clay could attend an interview for grad school, and Ellery stayed with him, so it was easier for me to travel and really be there at the funeral. I took lots of pictures. It felt a lot like a family reunion, and although it was a very sad, emotional weekend, it was also beautiful and perfect and even joyous to celebrate his life and ponder on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that we will see him again because this life is not the end. God has a plan and families are eternal. So much peace comes from knowing that and picturing my grandpa happily reunited with his loved ones who went before him. Here is a link to his obituary. I won't talk all about his life here. I'll just say that he was one of the most successful people I'll ever know in almost every aspect of life. He was an incredible person, and especially an incredible father and grandfather. I think my favorite memories of my grandpa are when he would bare his testimony of the Gospel, Jesus Christ, and eternal families to his posterity at our annual family reunions. He never failed to mention his gratitude and express his love and knowledge of the Gospel and our family. He made sure we all knew it, and I'm so grateful for it. I'll also always remember his sense of humor and how much he sincerely cared about each of his family members.

Love you, Grandpa.

My grandpa, Golden Linford.

 My siblings and me with my grandpa when we were young.

 When I was pregnant with Ellery ^

 So glad Ellery got to meet him twice before he passed. He loved all of his grandchildren so much.

Ellery with her great grandpa when she was two and half months old. ^

Ellery with her great grandpa when she was 10 months old. ^

Love that smile on my grandpa's face : )

Photos from his funeral.

The display. Awards, pictures...my grandpa served on the Idaho State Legislature for 16 years.

 He wrote a few books and did some pretty significant work on our family and church history.

 My mom and her siblings stood in line at the viewing. So many people came to show their respects. Plus we had almost our entire very large family in attendance.

 Fun to catch up with cousins.

 My grandpa's wife, Donna ^

 My mom and her siblings.

 My grandpa's older brother, last siblings still alive.

 Grateful that it wasn't completely freezing, snowing or raining during the funeral. It was about 35 or 40 degrees, I think, which for Rexburg, ID in January is warm!

 My grandpa served in the navy during WWII, so it was a military burial.

 Grandsons as pallbearers.

 Grandpa's wife, Donna.

She's so wonderful. We couldn't love her more.

 This picture makes me so sad. I couldn't post too many pictures of my sweet mama because she just looks too sad in them. Breaks my heart. Nothing makes me cry more than seeing my mom cry.

But like I said, mostly smiles because we know he's in a good place.

P.S. miss my little brother in this picture. Sad he couldn't attend the funeral because he's on a mission for our church in Brazil right now (something my grandpa was incredibly proud of).

 Grandpa's older brother ^

 My uncle Kent and his family ^

 My mom and her siblings.

My aunt Laura Lee and her sweet grand baby ^

 There were so many flowers at his funeral. Enough for everyone to take home more than one.

 His ward (church) put on a really nice lunch for our family and close friends after the funeral.

My uncle David and his granddaughter ^