Grandma and Grandpa Hansen--Seventy Years of Marriage

I'm sorry y'all.  I'm just not feeling it.  Blogging, that is.  I don't know why, but for some reason I just can't seem to get excited about writing the way I used to.  My hope is that getting started will help me out of this slump.  After all, the last thing I blogged about was our spring trip to Omaha.  A few hours ago we arrived back in Omaha for our summer adventure, so there's plenty to catch up on.

Let's start with another road trip since the sight of freeway stretching on for miles is familiar.  Jason took this last picture on his way to Idaho for his grandparent's 70th wedding anniversary.  Tremendous.  The sky, yes, but mostly 70 years of marriage. 

While the whole family would have loved to have joined in the celebration, Jason, Talia, and Eli were the only ones able to make the trip.  Brooklyn was in California with her choir while Annika and I were at the Salt Lake airport meeting Callie and her wee ones. Those traveling to Rupert passed right through the Middle of Nowhere.  Literally.

Who knew Nowhere included llamas?

Now for the real stars, Great-Grandma and Grandpa Hansen.

There is something so inspiring about love that continues to grow and flourish over the years.

I adore Leland and Norma's love story.

Jason recently spoke in church about his grandparents.  He pointed out how at one point in their early lives, their futures might have looked dismal and hopeless.  Before marrying each other, both had been married previously.  Leland's wife left him while he was serving a mission in Australia, while Norma's separation left her a single mother.

At that time, it would have been difficult to imagine all the blessings still lying in the future.

It's fun to feel a Salt Lake connection with this younger Norma who was from the area, marrying Leland Junior in the Salt Lake Temple.  If I remember correctly, they were sealed by Ezra Taft Benson.

They really are the cutest couple.

I think Jason's Facebook post sums in up best:

In November 1948, my Grandma and Grandpa Hansen met, fell in love and, after courting for a few months, married in early 1949. Over the last 70 years they have built a tightly-knit family, 6 children, 26 grandchildren, and I-have-no-idea-how-many great-grandchildren strong. Today, many of our family gathered in southern Idaho to celebrate their 7 decades together. Both now in their 90’s, Grandma has incredible health and stamina, and Grandpa maintains his gentle sense of humor despite the challenges of a failing memory. I watched the current of small children running, jumping, flowing through chairs, tables, and legs; their parents (me and my cousins, ack, when did we all turn into adults?!?) meanwhile filling each other in on jobs, experiences, homes, and schools; and in the midst of it all, Grandma and Grandpa, round-shouldered towers of stability. Grandpa tenderly holding Grandma’s hand, then in jest touching her cheek as he overheard my dad explaining to my aunt that she could focus the iPhone camera by “touching” grandma’s face on the screen. The three-hour drive back to Salt Lake through snow-capped mountain passes, starkly blue and white against a white and blue cloud-studded sky, left me filled with emotion and appreciation for these two incredible people who never had much, and yet have cups running over with everything that matters. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa, for your lives, for your examples, and for the heritage you have gifted me and my children.

Peanut Butter, the past sixteen years of marriage have been the happiest of my life.  I don't know if we will make it to seventy, but if not, let's die trying.  Love always, Jelly.