Eye See You!

Taylor bought googly eyes and we had fun decorating Grandma's fridge. I don't think she really noticed.

Grandpa went to make eggs for breakfast the next day, and wouldn't crack any of the eggs with eyes.

Memories of my Grandma and Grandpa Reynolds

Memories of Grandma

Marvelle Rosetta Jones Reynolds

When I was in my first year of college, she would bake cookies and send them to me in boxes.

We’re talking a BOX full of cookies.

My favorite cookies to that date were peanut butter cookies – and she made them well. Too well. She’d always make them for me, because she knew they were my favorite. She’d send these fabulous sugar cookies, too. With sprinkles.

By the time she made them, sent them to me, and I received them – mostly they were rock solid within a day.

But who doesn’t love a good rock-cookie anyways, right?

If you put them in the microwave, they softened right up.

I had forgotten that until just now. I think if I had remembered that story at her funeral, I would have cried.

It’s a good memory and makes me feel loved, and miss her.

Maybe I should make cookies and send them to someone? Hmmm…

Since I shared one on my Grandma Reynolds, I should probably share one on my Grandpa Reynolds.

Memories of Grandpa

John Wesley Reynolds

I didn’t get to know my Grandpa Reynolds well.

I remember he could do a killer Donald Duck voice.

I know he served in WWII.

My main memory of grandpa was when I was very little. When we would come for a visit from Alaska on occasion, we’d stay in their house. I loved waking up to the sun streaming in from the big windows, and hearing the birds sing. It was perfect.

The backyard was huge. The first half was grass and had a giant mental swingset grandpa built for the grandkids. It had a teeter-totter swing. If you swung high enough your could 1 – see over into the neighbors jungle of a yard – which is super mysterious, even to this day – and 2 – the swing would start to lift off the ground, scaring you to death and letting you know you rock at pumping.

The second half of the backyard was a good sized garden. I remember the corn and grapes mostly. Grandpa would work in that garden from sunup – it was immaculate.

I’d wake up to the sun and birds, and jump out of bed. I’d go downstairs - and grandpa would have left breakfast out for me. I’d eat and then join him in the garden.

We came to visit towards the end of his life, when he was getting sick and his memory was failing. I woke up to the birds and sun, just like always. I ran downstairs – and there was no breakfast. Grandpa was in the garden working without me. I remember the sadness that crept in. He hadn’t remembered our tradition. He was bedridden not too long after that, and died shortly after.

That memory, of him leaving out breakfast and working in the garden with him, will always be one of my favorite childhood memories.

Love,
Brittney

Hmmm....

I fell out of my chair at work yesterday. I was wearing a floor lengths flappy skirt and boots. I tucked my leg underneath me, and when I stood up, I went right over on my face and knees. No one saw but Julie. I scraped my knee pretty good. She said I needed a first aid kit. I decided to tough it out. It made me feel a little redeemed for having just fallen out of my chair.

I went snowboarding yesterday. I love to snowboard. The mountains are so beautiful. It is so peaceful and utterly perfect. Serene. It’s times like that, sitting on the lift in the dark with the mountains and snow surrounding me, all cuddled in my coat and hat and gloves with my beautiful baby blue board strapped to my super-cute and soft and comfy boots, my hart beating quickly – that I don’t know how people don’t believe in God. He is everywhere, up in the mountains.

Every time I fell on my knees, I thought I might die – due to the damage done when falling out of my chair. But I lived.

I went to St.George last week and spent some really good quality time with my grandparents. I don’t get to see them as much as I would like. I truly had so much fun just being with them, and being spoiled. Living on my own, I don’t get spoiled very often. It felt nice. I was sick – and they heard me coughing on the phone as I was telling them what time we’d pull into the condo. They called me as they went to bed – letting me know they had left cough syrup and Nyquil on the counter for me. It almost made me cry, that gesture. I didn’t say anything about being sick – but they could tell, and they left the medicine for me, because they love me. I’m just so used to being… alone and independent. It made me feel really, really special.

We went to Zions, saw a movie in the IMAX, went to the dinosaur museum, went shopping, went to Jacob Hamblin’s home, and of course – ate out a copious amount. It was perfect.

I don’t appreciate my grandparents enough. I think I take them for granted. There is a quote I stumbled upon forever ago in the book The Rule of Four by Ian Caldwell and Dustin Thomason, and it’s never left me:

“It’s strange to remember someone you’ve known all along. It’s like returning to the home you grew up in and noticing how it left its shape on you, how the walls you’ve raised and the doors you’ve opened since then have all followed the design you saw for the first time there. Its closer to returning home and seeing your mother or sister, who are old enough not to have grown since you last saw them, but young enough not to have aged, and realizing for the first time how they look to everyone else, how beautiful they would be if you didn’t know them, what your father and brother in law saw when they judged them most and knew them least.”

That is how I felt being with my grandparents. I know them so well, for my whole life, I think in a way I just saw them as I’ve always seen them, and not focused on who they are and their strengths and what makes them absolutely unique and special.

My grandma is so loving. She really does love me, and wants to spoil me. I don’t like them spending money on me, and I always get frustrated with them spending money on me, and being what is in my mind, superfluous. But this weekend, I just relaxed and let them do what they wanted. I didn’t encourage any expenditures, but also did not freak out about it either.

My grandma is so sweet. She really has a heart of gold and wants me to be happy. Everything she does is thinking of her family.

Grandpa is so service oriented. He never misses home teaching, and is such an example to me about reading the scriptures and always seeking knowledge. He seriously knows everything. And I’m not just saying that because I love him. He knows the elevation, population and geographic area of every place we go. He’s always reading. He has good hobbies that keep him happy. I love how much he loves rocks and how much pride he takes in making his family members jewelry.

My grandparents are truly special people.

I have pictures for the Alpha Officers tonight. I am tired and my eyes are puffy (a friend asked me if I had been crying when I got to work today. Lovely) and I want to be in sweats and curled in my bed. I am going to look like the troll in the group tonight. Haha.

I miss my little brother a lot.

I miss my little sister (Bob) a lot too. Even when she looks like this:

This is my new favorite picture of Christ:

I am reading 3 books right now, and that makes me so happy. I love to read, but my life is filled with so many other things, I don’t read like I used to. It makes me feel a little lost, and a little less like myself.

I’m reading:

• Jesus: A Biography, from a Believer by Paul Johnson

• 1940 by Jay Neugeboren

• Forgiving Ourselves: Getting back up when we let ourselves down by Wendy Ulrich

The first one is because I want to know my Savior better. I don’t feel like I truly know Him. I’m trying to change that. The history and context into the world Jesus was born into is great. So far, I can’t put it down! I love it! Next challenge: Jesus The Christ.

The second one, because I’m fascinated with WW2 and Hitler and Nazi’s and history. And because Becki left it at my house. I’ll mail it to you soon, Bex!

The third one, because it was given to me by Wendy Ulrich, who wrote it. It is great so far. I highly recommend it!It brings up some great points, and really helps understand the difference between sin and weakness.

Anyways, those are some random thoughts and updates.


Love,
Brittney