In Lieu of Flowers

It's Memorial Day here in the U.S.

We went to the cemetery. It's a family tradition that we've never been able to celebrate because we were always in China at the end of May. We visited the two graves of family members who are buried in Prosser -- my husband's paternal grandfather, John, and maternal grandmother, Marion. We picked flowers from our garden and the kids placed them on the grave markers.

I'm far away from where my grandparents are buried, but I thought of them nonetheless. When we got home, I dug out my baby album and found some pictures. I thought I'd share them here, in lieu of flowers, in honor of these amazing people who have gone before me.

 (Please excuse the quality of the pictures. This is why folks nowadays use acid free paper in their photo albums!)

My mom with her dad, my Grandpa Glowniak. 

At my Aunt Linda and Uncle Mark's wedding. I'm the screaming baby. Also pictured are my mom and dad, my Aunt Sandi. My Grandma and Grandpa Pardini are to the far left and my great grandmother, Nana Beck, with her husband, my step-great grandfather, Papa Beck, to the far right.

This is my mother's mother's mother, my Great Grandma Hennessy. I think this may be one of the only times I got to see her.


I had to include this one because, even though it's so faded, it makes me cry. This is my Grandpa Pardini, and he's showing such a sweet tenderness in this picture, it's just priceless.

My Grandma Pardini, my paternal grandmother, is holding me in this photo. My maternal grandmother, Grandma Martha, is standing beside her. My dad and Aunt Sandi are also pictured. I think we might be at Disneyland.

I'm so thankful for my heritage.

Happy Memorial Day!