GRANDMA MUELLER’S NOTES ON GRANDCHILDREN
Nicki – took Grandma’s hat to Coventry elementary school for “show and tell”, was told by Grandma not to drop it, but accidentally dropped it in the mud. Grandpa remembers that she dropped more stuff. But, Nicki beautifully decorated another hat which we have hanging in our home.
David – before going to Coventry elementary school one day, he said, “Grandma, I can’t find my shoes.” When Grandma said he could wear a pair of Nicki’s old shoes, his shoes suddenly “appeared” under his bed.
Mark – loved bubble gum, candy, and the sit-in helicopter at the Mall in Crystal Lake. We couldn’t pass a McDonalds without him seeing it. Would march up the steps of houses with Grandpa when we went visiting. Mark loved to throw his shoes out of the car window while sitting in his car seat.
Cary – grabbed a girl’s bicycle at the very high Tower Hill in Waunakee, and before Grandma could say “C-a-r-y”, she was off and going.
Kelly – woke up crying so hard in bed the morning we were to leave their home in St. Louis.
Chris – we remember when he climbed up and sat in an open arch above the kitchen and a hallway in Orlando, Florida. Dick reminded us that when they lived in Wonder Lake, Il., Chris plugged in an electric grill hanging on a nail and started a fire.
Jenny – early one Easter morning in Crystal Lake, Il. Grandpa was sitting in his chair in the living room studying his sermon when he and Jenny came down the stairs looking for their Easter baskets. Grandpa said, “Grrrrrr”, and they went screaming up the stairs. Jenny elated us when she played the piano beautifully at our wonderful 50th wedding anniversary celebration in Medford, WI. put on by all of our families.
Timmy – when we visited them in Waupun, WI., he, Jenny, and Chris would “fight” to sit next to me at the table. They were always so happy when we would come to “Grandparents Day” at their grade school in Fox Lake, WI. Timmy’s bright eyes are the windows of his soul.
Chris – when we went to visit them in Waupun, the first thing he would say is “you going to stay da night?” He made us feel so welcome.
Julie – she brought a little light from Antigua for us. Grandma calls it “this little light of mine” and uses it to find things in her purse. My hair turned purple when I colored them in Waupun, and Julie and her friend said, “leave it that way, Grandma, it’s cool”.
Matt – before Grandpa conducted a Memorial prayer at Pioneer Park, Matt pulled down a cup of hot coffee off the deck railing onto himself. He got burned, but thank God, not seriously – 15 minutes before the prayer!!!
Jimmy – when Grandpa and Grandma bought our lot at Pioneer Park, our families were so excited and happy. There is a picture of Jimmy and Dick and Wanda’s Chris when they were about 2-3 years old – so cute.
Brian – very musical. At our 50th anniversary in Medford, WI., he and his Dad sang and played their guitars – and Jim the banjo – wonderfully. They were awesome! Jim even cleverly made up a song about our lives to the tune of “Goodnight, Irene”.
Becky – Grandpa and Grandma have a big picture which Becky drew for us. It’s of a “Blue-footed Booby” bird. She was 12-1/2 years old when she drew it on October 12, 1998. It’s precious.
Christina – we were talking about Grandma’s “ski jump”, Grandpa’s pet name for my butt, when Christina turned around and quipped, “I’ve got one too” – and she does!
Laura – Grandpa and Grandma would go to their house in Merrill to visit, and Laura’s room was a disaster. Grandma would get down on her knees, and back (under her bed), and try to teach her to organize her stuff,
Travis – what a thrill it was in 2006 when we went o Cheyenne for a visit to have him show us all the trucks, and equipment, at the fire station. He got dressed up in the fire uniform in 1-1/2 minutes (timed by Grandpa) – and there was a lot to doing that!
Mitch – when Grandpa and Grandma arrived in Calgary, Canada, to visit, Mitch came running out to the car from the house and lovingly handed Grandma a beautiful blue stone. She has it to this day.
Sammy – will never forget when she was the goalie (and she was so little) when she, Trav, and Mitch played hockey in their front yard in Calgary, Canada! Now she is a “Dandy”, riding her horse in the Frontier Days in Cheyenne, WY. in the parades and beginning of the rodeos.
When Grandpa wrote his sermons, worked on bulletins, etc. and we would be babysitting our grandchildren to give the parents a break, Grandma had wonderful, enjoyable, times with them.
Some of the things we did together were metal detecting at school playgrounds, walk to parks where
we would do more metal detecting and the grandchildren would play on the playground equipment, swim together and teach them to dive, go sledding, go to the library, play Chinese Checkers, put puzzles together. We would also collect cans, sell them, and buy ice cream cones.
Grandpa and Grandma will not forget all the wonderful times we had watching our grandchildren play football, basketball, soccer, baseball, etc. Also, some of the granddaughters were cheerleaders. There are so many exciting memories..
And how can we forget those wonderful times at Christmases – all of our family trying to get together for the big Christmas dinner on Christmas Day, and then the children’s faces when they opened their gifts which Santa Claus (Grandpa) handed to them It was great!
Also, some of our grandchildren took part with other children of the Vacation Bible School in a Waunakee, WI. parade. The theme of the entry was Proverbs 22:6 – “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” .Each child held the “engine” or a “car” of the train with a word of the Bible passage on it. Some of our grandchildren were so little and yet walked a very long way.
Another Bible passage which is very special is – Proverbs 17:6 – “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Thank you, family! We are proud of each one of you! You are our blessings, treasures, in life!