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| wedding rehearsal dinner |
From Drew
This last week my Grandpa passed away. It has been a time of grieving and reflecting over his life and mine. As one of the greatest men I know, it is hard to fully understand the breadth of his influence over me. So many memories. I will share one with you.
When I was seven or eight, Grandpa took me to change oil on the car. I remember sitting in the mechanic shop lounge. Grandpa was asking about school, but I was distracted by a Vietnam war movie on the TV. He changed the channel. Then he invited me to lunch – my choice. I chose McDonalds. Grandpa several times asked if I had considered other options and I emphatically assured him that McDonald’s was the best choice. It seems simple, but the time he spent with me let me know that I was special and loved.
From Rachel
I think I first met Grandpa on high school graduation day, June 2004, at Drew's grad party in Dan & Cheryl Moose's back yard. I asked about their strange license plate: DTB-4U. Grandpa popped the trunk, dug out a copy of his book and presented it to me autographed, "To Rachel, Gordon Addington".
A few months later I was a freshman at Bethel University in St. Paul. I visited their community, First Free, occasionally on Sundays and afterwards they treated me to lunch, once at Chili's adjacent to Maplewood Mall, another time at Great Moon. Other times they drove me back to their home for a meal. I remember sitting in the backseat observing Grandpa drive, one hand on the steering wheel, the other interlocked with his bride's, resting on the center console. The tenderness and intimacy. The teamwork and service.
Grandpa and Grandma together made a wonderful marriage, a loving family, a son named Jon who caught the love and passed it on to his son too. And that son Drew is a priceless gift to me.
So I thank Grandma and Grandpa for their significant part.
Commence photo memory reel
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| wedding day 2007 |
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| Titus' birth 2008 |
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| baby Titus |
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| I'm moving to China tomorrow 2009 |
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| baby Michael 2010 |
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| visiting the hospital Great-Grandpa Gordy co-founded in Hong Kong |
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| wish we had a picture of baby Drew and G&G here this is Drew's brother Paul, 1984 |
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| G&G move to Hong Kong, circa 1960 little buddy front and center is Drew's dad and may I add that he is the cutest one |
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| massive family, about eight years ago, it's grown a lot since then |
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| meeting up in Beijing, Drew's sophomore year of college 2005 |
counting the graces
thank you Father for
Jana, who captured these last two photos :)
cheerful supper with a Finnish & American couple, 60+
cheerful supper with a British couple 60+
supper with Titus' classmate's family, twice
lost Michael for 10-15 minutes today, panicking, found him just before dark
humbled by my own bad attitude
humbled by my bad guitar skills
granny at group said her parents were believers too (early 1900s)
the kindness of children in my class today
Jana, who captured these last two photos :)
cheerful supper with a Finnish & American couple, 60+
cheerful supper with a British couple 60+
supper with Titus' classmate's family, twice
lost Michael for 10-15 minutes today, panicking, found him just before dark
humbled by my own bad attitude
humbled by my bad guitar skills
granny at group said her parents were believers too (early 1900s)
the kindness of children in my class today
I know that I have said it before, but your posts are so meaningful to me. I had no idea of the former connections with China until today. You, like Meredith, are someone I have not yet met, but someone who teaches me daily. And while I do not know about your bad attitude (but I know that mine sometimes plagues me), I love your music and your guitar skills. Sometimes, it is the message, not the skill.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat first picture you have of Grandpa at your rehearsal startled me. This is exactly as I remember my dad, before dementia really set in. It was as if I was back in that large room again, listening to his wise instruction!
ReplyDelete