Visiting Loved Ones Gone

This is something I have been mean to do much sooner.  The last time I was here was when Paul's grandfather passed away.  For the past several years I keep saying to myself:  "I'm going to go visit and take care of the graves!"  Things kept coming up....and I kept forgetting.  Frown.   

This year I wanted to go on June 30th, because that's the day my grandfather on my Dad's side passed away.  My super cool cousin married a super cool chic that day so we did wedding stuff all day.  It is now October and I am finally, finally getting around to visiting.

We went this past Sunday, between conferences.  My mom came along with us.  First stop was my Great-grandparents Hardman, my mom's mom's parents.  Asher got his first little intro to geneology work ;)

Next we visited Paul's Grandpa Budd, his dad's dad (war veteran): 

Then we looped around to the other side of the cemetery to see my previously mentioned Grandpa Madsen, my dad's dad (also a war veteran): 

And lastly, but not leastly, just a literal skip away from Grandpa is Melissa, my dad's oldest sibling's first born daughter, who sadly passed away before she was a month old.  I can't imagine the hurt and heartbreak of burying a child at any age, and baby's are so precious and small...I admire my Uncle and Aunt's strength. 

We cleaned up the dead grass clippings and cut away overgrown grass.  It's something I want to make a tradition, preferably in the summer, but anytime will do.  It was a great day to be out with family, remembering family.  :)