In Remembrance

Yesterday, my mother, brother, and I went to assist my grandparents with putting flowers on great-grandparents grave.

I had not been to that cemetery for a while, so it was nice to go. (Even though my grandparents' headstone is already up...and they're still alive. That freaked me out.)

My great-grandmother, Laura Vida (McCrum) Garrison, was the youngest of 14 children. (Now her family owns the biggest potato farm in Maine. Go County Super Spuds!!) In 1935 she married Stanley Elwood Garrison, and they had my Nana along with her brother Wayne, and sister Karen (who unfortunately has been missing for quite some time). I honestly don't know that much about Grammy Laura, other that she went to be with the Lord at the young age of 50 from cancer. But my Nana always talks about how much she loved her parents. My mom, along with her cousin Tracey were the only two grandkids to not meet her, so naturally, my mother wanted to name me after her. It was a close call when her cousin's Gregg & Heidi named their daughter Olivia Laura, but Mom got her way.

I didn't even know until a few years ago that Stanley had re-married after Grammy died, but I guess I just need to be more curious! I'm really looking forward to meeting them both because I guess I really loved to hear people talk about them when I was little. My only great-grandparent on both sides of my family that I ever got to meet was "Grammy Lunn", or Irene Agnes (Gee) Lunn. I grew up spending a lot of time with her, and it was hard to see her go in 2012...but she'd already lost her husband and a daughter, so I know she was happy to go. But they've all really been on my mind this weekend, as obviously it is Memorial Day. I hope my kids are thankful for their great-grandparents as much as I am. (Especially since my maternal grandparents practically were a second pair of parents.)


Have a blessed day! (And thank you to all who have fought to keep our country free! Especially my Papa and Uncle Mike!)

Laura xx

Changes

Change is not my friend.

If you know me at all, you know that I am a very headstrong person, and I am extremely set in my ways.

Well, this summer has thrown me a curveball.

If you didn't know, these past ten summers my parents have volunteered their entire summers to serve the Lord at Living Waters Bible Conference. (Five summers ago, I began working there as well.) Living Waters has since become my home. It's in the family as my grandfather has been on the board for 43 years, and my Uncle Mark speaks each summer, along with extended family doing music occasionally. To put it into smaller terms, camp is pretty much my life, and I love it.

This past year has been quite hard on us, and so my twin brother has firmly set down his foot and refused to LW with us this summer. So...mom is most likely to stay behind in Fort,  with my father and grandparents coming weekends and occasional days. To be frank, I hate this. So many nights I have cried out to God wondering why he seems to be moving my family away from the place and people I cherish most dearly. I am, of course, working the full summer like I normally do, but I just can't face the differences that will be so evident. My family is known for working at camp...and I feel almost embarrassed that this is happening to us.

Really this post is a call to prayer. Could you pray for me, as well as my family in the coming months? I still cannot process the thought of us going in a different direction. I know I need to expand my horizons, but camp is where my heart is 24/7. So I'm just really struggling with this. I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart.