Goodbye, Grandpa Hendricks

Seth's Grandpa had been in the hospital for a while. He and I had gone to visit him, and Seth had gone to spend time with him a few times before he left for his Front Sight shooting course in Nevada. Grandpa's condition continued to go downhill, and the decision was made to have him come home and receive hospice care until he passed away.

We had been told that Grandpa would deteriorate fairly quickly once he went home on Sunday, March 11, but nobody anticipated he would become unresponsive as soon as the next day. I took my girls to visit him at home on Monday, March 12 around 6:30 p.m., and by then he wasn't easily roused.

 Grandma Susan took us all downstairs before we saw Grandpa Hendricks so we could listen to a recording of Grandpa talking to his grandsons the evening before. Grandma Susan told us that if Grandpa had been able to speak to them, he would have said the same things about staying true to the gospel.

The girls around Grandpa's hospital bed in the corner of the living room. Seth's uncle Keith taped the pictures to the wall so Grandpa would have them to look at when he was awake. Grandma Susan took Grandpa Hendricks by the hand and told him the girls were there to visit him, but I don't think he opened his eyes. He did mutter a little bit. Grandma Susan told Grandpa that we love him.

Grandpa in his bed. His liver and kidneys had failed, so he was very jaundiced.

Grandma Susan showing the girls photos on the end table as Grandma Hendricks tells the stories behind them. She told the girls that she had asked Grandpa for a nice portrait of himself for her birthday after they met, and he reciprocated with a request for a nice portrait of her. They took those portraits with them when they served missions--Granpda to Canada and Grandma to Montana--and then got married when they got home.

We heard the next morning that Grandpa had passed away just a couple hours after we left that night. It was a blessing to be able to see him and say goodbye before he went.

The viewing was held Friday, March 23 in Rexburg. Seth helped set up and stayed through the whole event. The girls were there in the beginning, then went over to Aunt Anne and Uncle Jim's house to spend time with cousins. I stayed a while after the girls to take some pictures before going to Anne and Jim's.

Pictures and flowers by the casket.

Susan, Grandma Hendricks and Seth.

The guest register next to more pictures.

Seth's aunt Cathy had spent a long time finding and scanning pictures for the slide show, and Seth and I put them together with audio, video and music.

The funeral was held the next day on Saturday, March 24 in Rexburg with the interment in Richmond, Utah.

 Grandma and Grandpa Hendricks have a bucketload of grandsons and only two granddaughters.

 Winnie running through the cemetery while we wait for everyone to arrive. With the funeral in Rexburg and the interment in Utah, we all got to the cemetery at different times. Some people dropped off their kids between the two events. Some people's GPS systems led them the wrong way. But we all eventually made it there.

Analee, Mack, Miriam, Tav and Rebekah walking through the cemetery.

Seth as a pallbearer helping to carry the casket. With so many grandsons, they were divided into three groups to accompany the casket at different times: from the Relief Society room to the chapel prior to the funeral, from the chapel to the hearse following the funeral, and from the hearse to the grave site.

Miriam comforting Winnie during the graveside service.

Grandma Hendricks listening to Uncle Keith at the graveside service.

 Seth with his arm around Miriam.

Rebekah behind Seth.

Analee with the casket in the background.

Seth between his dad and brother, Jason following the service.

All of the services were wonderful, and I felt the love of so many people as we attended. The wards were so kind to set up for the luncheon in Rexburg and the dinner in Cove. The speakers did a fantastic job of conveying Grandpa's aims and personality. The musical numbers we got to participate in were beautiful. Even the weather calmed down and warmed up a little for the graveside service. It was great getting to see and visit with so many of Seth's family. (Miriam and Winnie found a new little friend to dote on: Lorin and Kiana's daughter Karin.) (Rebekah and Analee discovered with Mack and Tav that the animals in the field next to the Cove church were reindeer.) It was the wonderful way to remember a wonderful man.

We will miss Grandpa Hendricks, but we know that he is now with his parents, siblings and son. We look forward to the day when we, in turn, will be reunited with the family that has passed on before us.

Miriam is 8

Miriam turned the big 8 this year, which in the Grover household means she got to have a big friend birthday party. Her chosen theme: A Series of Unfortunate Events. We held her friend birthday party a good 10 days before her birthday (her birthday is March 27, so the party was on St. Patrick's Day) because of spring break, Easter and the like making it difficult to find a time when we thought people could come. And we held it at the church since Idaho weather in March wouldn't permit us to have it outside, and our house really isn't big enough for that many little kids to run around in.

 Miriam (in disguise) posing next to the Count Olaf wanted poster.

Miriam and her friend Abe channeling Violet and inventing something with marshmallows and toothpicks.

Winnie channeling Klaus and writing words that start with V, F and D while wearing glasses.

Miriam and her friends decorating cupcakes with the VFD eye.

Miriam wearing her craft (a mask so she can be in disguise) with her friend Journey in the background.

The random conga line that started up between games, food and crafts.

 All of the attendees with their masks.

 All of the attendees without their masks: Aubrey, Isabel, Journey, Abe, Ashalen, Kiara, Makelle, Winnie, Miriam, Kaitlyn, Analee and Rebekah.

Miriam tossing paper while opening presents.

Miriam and her friends checking out the birthday word art Analee made for her present.

Miriam playing Pin the Unibrow on Count Olaf.

On her actual birthday (March 27), she got to open the traditional Grover 8th birthday present in the morning, then Seth took her outside after school to try it out. I also went to her class to pass out ice cream cups and eat lunch with her.

 Seth showing Miriam how to cock the BB gun.

 Explaining how the sights work.

Taking aim and firing at the milk jugs set up as targets.

Then, the Friday after her birthday (March 30), we held a combined family birthday party for Miriam and her cousin Charlotte at the Aquatic Center.

Charlotte wanted an Ursula party; Miriam wanted a snake party. Aunt Melissa and her sister made these incredible cupcakes to tie in with the themes.

Bennet and Miriam eating pizza.

 Getting ready to sing "Happy Birthday" to the birthday girls and blow out candles.

Blowing out candles.

Miriam holding up the enormous swim trunks Grandpa Dennis gave her for her birthday. Hidden inside the pocket was cold, hard cash. 

Miriam holding up the dress Grandma Scott is making for her baptism and confirmation. Miriam got to pick out the pattern and fabric. Miriam also received a plush puppy craft and reusable sticker pad from Aunt Rachel, scriptures and a journal from us, and clothes for her American Girl doll from Grandma Susan.

Then the lot of us went swimming.

Cooper, Bennet and Miriam hanging out by the slide. I didn't take any pictures since I was in the water, but Grandpa Dennis sent me this one.

It was a very merry 8th birthday indeed, with festivities stretched out over half the month.

Miriam is the sweetest 8-year-old I know. She is extra kind to her younger cousins; 3-year-old Hudson has claimed her as his own. She has a great sense of humor and loves to read. She can't wait to be baptized in less than a week.

 Miriam playing with her friends Isabel and Brooklyn during lunch recess on her birthday.

Family concert and instrument petting zoo

We enjoyed the Idaho Falls Symphony's family concert so much last year that I knew we needed to go again this year. Besides, they were playing John Williams' movie music, so how could I resist?

So while Seth was driving from Idaho Falls to Pahrump, Nevada, to see such sites as this:

Seth at the China Ranch date farm. 

and this:

Seth, his uncles, his dad and his dad's friends at Death Valley.

and attend self-defense shooting classes, we were doing this:

Miriam and Winnie posing next to the Yoda cutout in the lobby of the Civic Auditorium. Miriam was pretending to be a seagull in reference to this beloved YouTube video: https://youtu.be/U9t-slLl30E

Miriam playing a cello.

Winnie blowing into the baritone.

Analee blowing into a flute.

while Rebekah attended a jazz festival in Rexburg with her middle school jazz band.

My girls (and I) were ecstatic to hear music from Jurassic Park, Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones and E.T.

Roots Tech

Seth has been wanting to attend Roots Tech (a family history convention in Salt Lake) for years, but he never felt he could take work off to attend. But since he has been on sabbatical between two jobs this winter/spring, we decided to take advantage of the free time off and go.

The convention is amazing, in case you were wondering. We learned about everything from DNA testing to cleaning headstones. The presentations were phenomenal, and both of us came back with a renewed interest in family history.

We relied on the kindness of family to be able to attend. Our parents took turns taking care of the girls while we were gone, and we stayed at my aunt and uncle's home in South Jordan.

 Ancestry had a booth where you could pick up a pin featuring the name of a random geographical location and try to find someone else with the same place name. If the two of you went back to their booth, you got to spin the wheel and pick a prize. Both Andrea and Seth found their twins and got prizes, but the really exciting part was that I received Pomerania for my area, which is exactly where my Wirkus relatives come from. You were supposed to return the pin when you got your prize, but I talked them into letting me keep it if I promised not to play the game again.

We met up with my old Scrollie friend Taralyn Parker for lunch on the first day.

The assigned "excited selfie" we were supposed to take and post as per the emcee's instructions during a main stage event.

Seth and his grandma's cousin, Reed Bartlett, at the FamilySearch booth. The Roots Tech app let you see which attendees you were related to at the conference. 

Andrea eating lunch on a wall.

Andrea's entry for the Photo + Story competition was featured in the video recap shown during the final main stage event. The photo shows Grandpa Wirkus, his brother, his sister and his parents on the ship they sailed on to emigrate from Germany.

Grandma's birthday

Grandma Hendricks had her birthday while Grandpa Hendricks was in the hospital, so Aunt Cathy baked a cake, Grandma Susan brought ice cream, and everyone who could gathered at the EIRMC cafeteria to celebrate with her on Sunday, February 25.

 Winnie looking longingly at the beautifully decorated cake.

 Grandma Hendricks looking over cards that our girls made for her.

 Aunt Patty and Aunt Cathy enjoying the girls' cards with Grandma.

Aunt Cathy lighting the candles.

 Everyone singing "Happy Birthday."

We love and appreciate Grandma!