Grandma Ruth & Grandpa Don's cabin

I have been meaning to write about this for awhile. It was so special and meant so much to me that I wanted to give it the proper time that it deserved.  After our family reunion @ Cane Beds, AZ, we were going to drive back to Phoenix, and camp out somewhere on the drive home to split up the drive.  My grandma Ruth and Grandpa Don Esplin have their own beautiful cabin just 1/2 mile from the cabin we stayed at. They like to be at their cabin about half of the week, every week.   

There is no cell service, no internet, and they also didn't have their TV working. It was just our little family, and them.

They have 6 kids, 52 grandchildren, and OODLES of great-grandchildren. Kalia Ruth is named after her Grandma Ruth, and Grandma and Grandpa have been the most amazing people in our lives. 

They are both 80-years-old and until recently, in amazing health. They are cattle ranchers, and still round up cattle to this day (Grandpa left the morning we left- to go round up cattle with my Uncle Dave and cousin Kirk.)

My grandma is strong and skinny as a twig, and she is loving and kind and made us feel like the only grandchildren in the world.

They are well-off, and the cabin is PRISTINE. And when my girls started running all over and playing and spilling their drinks and dragging telescopes around, my Grandma didn't bat an eye. I was sure she'd show signs of stress, and I was so surprised when she remained so calm about all of the messes and chaos.  When I mentioned it to her, she just laughed and said, "At my age, you just learn that none of those things matter."  

I loved hearing those little tidbits of wisdom.

While Grandma cooked dinner and watched Annie and Ella, Grandpa Don took me, Sam, and Kalia on a 4-wheeler ride to the "Springs".  Their water is all from fresh-water springs that they have piped to their cabin. We went to see it. It was a special memory to be holding tight to my Grandpa while he drove the 4-wheeler (followed by Sam and Kalia) and he pointed out things on the ranch, and worried that he was going too fast for me (lol.)

I was worried that halfway through the drive he would forget where we were going.

He was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers.  His mother had it, and died from it years later. She lived with us on and off in her old age.  So EVERY SECOND that we can spend with him while he still recognizes us...is priceless.

I found out that he has quite a sense of humor. How could I be 30 years old and not know this? I have never been able to spend so much wonderful quality (individual) time with him in my whole entire life. 

He didn't get lost. He knew exactly where we were going. It was such a beautiful 15 minute drive. The scenery was awesome. And it was so green back there by the springs.

  

I don't look good in any of these pictures, I didn't have makeup on, but I need to remember these memories. 

 Grandpa is blind in his left eye- a piece of metal flew into his eye while was doing some horseshoeing. (Not playing the game, but actually putting a shoe on a horse.)

 When we got home, Grandma had a huge meal ready for us-- even though she didn't know she'd have 5 extra guests that night. She cooked us meals and waited on us hand and foot while we were there, and managed to stay out of most of my pictures, much to my dismay.

 

Kalia took these next 5 pictures when I set the camera down.  :) I'm so glad she did.

 After dinner, when Annie had crashed on the couch for the night, we went outside at Sunset.

 Grandma tried to teach Kalia how to play Jacks. It was a sweet, sweet thing to watch, and I caught a lot of it on video.

 Then we watched the sunset. It was the most peaceful, quiet solitude you can possibly imagine. I was completely unreachable. It felt pretty amazing.

 Ella had a bath in the kitchen sink, and she went to bed next. Then we had a little Family Home Evening with Grandma and Grandpa. Our favorite part was at the end when we played the game, "I love you, Because..."  and the version the girls made up, "You love me, Because..."    We toss a stuffed animal to the person that we are talking about. It is their favorite game EVER. And the sweetest spirit of love always fills the room, and this time it was especially strong as Kalia got to hear what Grandma and Grandpa loves about her, and we got to tell them as well. And the things my Grandma and Grandpa said to me and Sam meant so much and are so personal that I can't even share them here. It's making me cry just write about it. This was seriously one of the best days ever, for a million little reasons.

Well, then we went to bed at dark (instead of staying up til midnight watching TV, like Sam and I tend to do.) It was a new experience. Ella was sick and kept waking up crying and so I didn't get a lot of sleep.  The next morning we had a fabulous breakfast (Grandma makes the best waffles ever! I always remember eating those as a little kid at her house.) We had the car completely packed up, we'd said a prayer for safety, and hugged our goodbyes, when we realized our keys were lost. We unpacked the whole car, dug through the trash, and we still could not find them ANYWHERE. I was starting to freak out a little, since we only have that ONE car key right now, and we had a long drive ahead of us. So I said a prayer with my girls (still buckled in the car, waiting...) and come to find out, Grandma was inside praying too.  Sure enough, within 10 minutes we'd found those keys all hidden inside the bedding that I'd stripped off one of the beds. WHEW. I loved having one more evidence of the faith of my Grandma (and us!)  Grandma sent the girls off with two of her teddy bears that decorate one of her beds, and slipped us a little money, and we were off. I miss them terribly and can't wait for the next time I see them.