Mt Hood Trip Report 5/11/21

 

We met up Monday night at 11 PM at my house to drive to Timberline Lodge. We took my Hyundai Elantra because we knew the roads were clear of snow since we had been up to Timberline lodge two days earlier for the snow climbing course. It was nice driving up to the mountain without traffic for a change and we made it up to Timberline Lodge a little before 1AM. We filled out our climber's registration forms and grabbed some blue bags for any #2 emergencies. Then we parked, got geared up, eventually, and ready. I am a notoriously punctual grinch and my anxiety was building a bit at this point as we were getting off a tad late. That anxiety was heightened by the fact that we had set a pretty hard deadline to be off the summit by 8:00 am. Mt Hood is safest to summit in early morning while all the rock and ice is frozen, and when the sun begins to warm it becomes increasingly likely to have ice & rock fall near the summit. With all of us being newbies and putting on this rental gear for the first time, it took about 20 minutes to get situated. Finally we were ready and we hit the climber's trail about 1:15AM. Before I get into the details of the climb, I’ll tell you how Stuart Monson, Scott Taylor and myself got here, to the trailhead of Mt Hood at 1:15 AM on Tuesday, May 11 2021.

I’ve always had a desire to try new exciting and outdoor adventures. I started with distance running after marrying Becca, spurred on by her excitement for me to challenge myself and push to take on these physical goals. She signed me up for my first half marathon in 2009 once I casually started running to stay in shape and was building up to 5 mile runs. That soon turned in to running my first (and only to this point) marathon in 2013. This distance running became my exercise addiction and I used continued to run numerous races, with the highlights being the 5 Hood to Coast races I ran in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. I had my first introduction to the world of alpine climbing in 2017 when a good college friend invited me to join him and his brother in-law on a trip to climb Mt Shasta in California. I was enthralled with the idea and entering into that world but eventually Becca and I decided I needed more experience and training before taking on this type of challenge that is more than just a test of endurance, but has actual life threatening dangers.

To get some climbing experience I began finding some challenging hikes over the next few years to do during summer months. My cousin Stuart had gotten into ultra marathons so he was a perfect companion to begin these hikes with. We climbed Dog Mountain in the gorge which is a 6.5 miles  gaining 2,949 feet of elevation. (2,949’ summit)

My first big climbing trip came in June 2020 when I drove down to Utah to take my daughter to visit her friend for a week. While she caught up with her bestie, I took on an endurance test for the ages with 5 summits in 5 days along the Wasatch Mountains. Monday, Day 1: Mt Nebo 9.3 miles 3,589 feet of elevation (11,929’ summit). Tuesday, Day 2: Provo Peak 12.6 miles 7,089 feet of elevation (11,068’ summit). Wednesday, Day 3: Pfiefferhorn 11 miles 4404 feet of elevation (11,325’ summit). Day 4: Boxelder Peak 11.2 miles 5,488 feet of elevation (11,101’ summit). Day 5: Sundial Peak 10.7 miles 4,812 feet of elevation (10,320’ summit).  I won’t give the full trip report here, but this week of endurance climbing taught me the proper way to eat, hydrate, pace, navigate, dress and pack for all different kinds of environments. 

 

Mostly it taught me how my body responds to grueling day long climbs and gave me confidence that I can push myself safely to more than I had previously thought possible.

I came back from that trip with my Mt Hood in my sights and immediately the planning began. Mt Hood is a glaciated summit which means it is snow covered year round. There are many routes and seasons to climb, but it is universally accepted that the S face route in mid Spring is the safest and least challenging of all the routes. There is snow pack the entire climb and weather is fairly mild. In training for Hood I continued the endurance preparation by climbing Mt Defiance 12.4 miles 5072 feet of elevation (4,960’ summit) once in August 2020 and again in April 2021.  I also ran, lifted weights and hiked hills to get my body ready. I was hoping to get my weight under 200 lbs before the climb, but I missed on that goal as I was a portly 217 lbs on climbing day.

Every winter, there are a group of 3-4 guy friends who ski together and during our trip skiing on Mt Hood in January 2021 I was talking about the plan to climb the mountain in May, and Scott Taylor chimed in that he would be up for that. He had been training for a marathon and loved hiking and rock climbing. I also invited Stuart Monson and although he wasn’t in his peak Ultra marathon form from 2017-2018, he was still up for the challenge. That is how this group got together.

 

One other thing we did before taking on Mt Hood was to attend a steep snow climbing day course on Mt Hood to learn the basics of climbing techniques using crampons, ice axe, and safe methods to ascend and descend the mountain. Scott, Stuart and I took this together just 2 days before the climb and were able to get a sense for the right clothing and tactics for the climb. It was also helpful being up there we could see the actual route it became so much easier to visualize what it would be actual be like in the coming days.  In the days leading up to the climb I was getting more and more excited, culminating in Monday, May 10^th. I had to coach Levi’s soccer practice at 5:00 pm so my plan was to get home from coaching, then eat dinner and try and sleep for a few hours. After so many months of planning and preparing I was so amped to finally be doing it. I had some nerves, but that was turned into energy and excitement more than worry. I can’t say the same for Becca, who had been so supportive and encouraging in helping me prepare with the training hikes and snow course on Saturday while she was home with the kids. At this point on Monday evening her nerves were a little frayed as she faced the prospect of not sleeping all night while she tracks my progress and worries about a misstep on an icy slope or an avalanche or the abominable Hood snowman.

Fast forward a few hours and it was 1:15 am and we were on the trail 6.4 miles 5,249 feet of elevation (11,250’ summit) in our sights. 

Well, not actually in our sights because it was pitch dark and with a headlamp we could only see 15 feet in front of us. Within the first 50 feet Stu was having issues with his boot. The fit on the rentals was bad and was squeezing uncomfortably on his forefoot. He tried making some adjustments and we continued on. Scott led the way at a quick pace, partly to make up for the slow start, and partly just to be excited to finally be moving. We paused after a few minutes and looked back to notice Stu had dropped back a little and as he caught up to us his prognosis was not good. He said he didn’t feel like he had it in him. The combination of the foot pain, the elevation and the pace just shook his confidence. He didn’t want to push on with the way he felt, only to advance up the mountain and then have to turn back being in worse pain and facing a longer trek back to the car alone. I tried my best to motivate him onward as we moved forward together a few more minutes but his head was out of it. He took my keys and headed back to the car. He drove home, got a few hours of sleep. 3 became 2.

Scott and I pressed on. We were told that someone in good shape can climb about 1,000ft an hour. We took a 10 minute break after about an hour and we had climbed about 1,200 ft and gone about a mile. We were keeping the tough pace but it was taxing. Being lowlanders living at 500 ft elevation, it is an immediate shock to your system hiking uphill above 6,000 feet. The conditions were wonderful though. The sky was completely clear with only a slight breeze. At each of the breaks I would look up at the stars in amazement. Literally billions of stars in every direction. Pretty spectacular. The next mile put us just above the highest ski lift at Timberline and another 1,400 ft of elevation gain. It was here that things were icy enough and steep enough that we decided to put on our crampons but stuck with our trekking poles. Traction was significantly better with crampons but it took more effort. It seemed like we were one of the earliest climbers heading up as we only saw a couple twinkling headlights above us. The weather was cold, but I was glad I had opted for a soft shell jacket and lighter hiking pants instead of my heavy winter coat and ski pants. I was able to keep up the tough pace without sweating much or being too cold.

We followed a map from AllTrails and took a jog to the west at the top of Palmer lift and then back North toward Crater Rock. We could tell from the map that to the RH side there were some rivines but it was too dark to make out how far so we made sure we were plenty far to the West of those. As the horizon began to lighten, we could barely make out Illumination rock to our West. We were climbing well, feeling good, and looked to be ahead of our expected schedule. For most of the climb to this point Scott had been pushing the pace, with me doing my best to keep up. I was up for the challenge but it was a real strain to continue above the 1000 ft/hour pace, hour after hour. We made great progress though and we could tell we were approaching Crater rock because every once and a while, the wind would bring us a whiff of the sulfur smell from the fumaroles at Devil's Kitchen. The sun was coming up and opened provided some beautiful views.

We switched from our trekking poles to our ice axes as we approached Crater Rock. When we got above 10,000 ft of elevation, Scott’s started to feel upset. Could have been the sulfur vents or the elevation, or probably both, but he started to wane a bit at that point. 

We took a short break at Hogsback to eat, drink, and switch to warmer gloves. We looked at the routes ahead of us. There were a few other groups of climbers either on Hogsback or heading up the Pearly Gates. We had originally planned on heading up Hogsback and then traversing west at the Bergschrund to ascend the Old Chute. At our class on Saturday, the instructor recommended instead going over Hogsback into a dirt area to the base of the Old Chute to avoid the traverse. There was a visible trail through the dirt area so we followed it to the bottom of the Old Chute. This was the steepest part of the climb. 

I had purchased one ice axe and rented another so attacked the mountain in an upward bear crawl with an axe in each hand. It was incredibly steep but the ice axes got good purchase with every move and the crampons easily gave good foot holds on the way up the Old Chute. I was happy to be ascending beyond Crater Rock as the sulfur smell finally dissipated. We got into a slow rhythm. Right foot, right axe, left foot, left axe, over and over. This was the most difficult part of the climb. Climbing at steep angles for hours with tight boots and crampons really wore on my feet and once we were headed up the old chute, there was no place to sit and give my feet a break. Additionally, I started having muscle cramps in my hip flexors and triceps. I think I was getting dehydrated so took long deliberate drinks and shook my muscles out to continue up. There was a moment then that I thought to myself I could be in real trouble there if my muscle cramps got worse. I was 500 feet above the closest flat surface either below me at hogsback or above me at the summit.  That worry was immediately followed by a wave of confidence that I had put my body through worse before and it didn’t let me down then, and I would have enough strength to continue up. I am glad I had done the climbs previously and gained that experience and trust. Scott and I climbed side by side for a bit to avoid knocking ice on each other but I caught my second wind and started at a faster pace to push for the summit. The thought in my head was the sooner you get to the summit to sooner you can sit down. Scott was struggling though this as well, and beyond his body being exhausted and his stomach hurting, his head started pounding from the elevation. He kept upward though and didn’t give up.

As we got within 200 feet from the top of the Old Chute, a group of climbers were coming down. I worked my way right to get out of their path and Scott stayed to the left, not wanting to pass directly below them. After they headed past us, I made it to the top of Old Chute and Scott was there not too long after. When we got to the top of the Old Chute, the other side of the ridge is a sheer drop off, but there was a place to sit and rest for a few minutes before taking on the traverse to the summit.

To get to the summit from the Old Chute, you have to traverse the ridge titled the “knife’s edge.” Most of it is fairly tame but one short section is a catwalk. It was narrower than I expected and at one point is so narrow, it's only wide enough for one boot. A drop off on either side.
We took our time and extreme care to cross the narrow area safely. I wish I had gotten some pictures of it now, but in the moment the only thought was moving slowly across.

40 feet later we had made the summit of Mt Hood! 11,250 feet as the highest point in Oregon. 

It is an exhilarating feeling each time I reach a summit. The combination of reaching my goal, being physically exhausted and the incredible sweeping 360 degree views take over all my senses. I have been a distance runner for years and what I love about climbing is that your get the runner’s high but then it is amplified by the surroundings in a way that running can never reach. Running a marathon is an incredible accomplishment but when you reach the finish line, you are still just on a road in the middle of a city. There is a medal though!

At the summit there was a small group was about to head down. We immediately sat to rest and take it all in. For about 10 minutes we had the summit to ourselves and took several pictures trying to capture everything in view from the summit. The skies were perfectly clear and to the North we could see the gorge, Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier and Mt Adams lined up row. To the South we could see Mt Jefferson and the Three Sisters. Between all the peaks you could see the Willamette valley for miles. We had made the climb up in under 6 hours, summiting just after 7:00 am.

Several single climbers came up from Pearly Gates while we were on the summit. Most groups had been taking that route up and they all said they would take the Old Chute down. It sounded like conditions were pretty good on the Pearly Gate route although there was a short section of hard ice. One guy wandered up, ice axe in hand and remarked that it was extremely difficult. I looked at his feet and he was wearing low top hiking boots and microspikes. Not exactly ideal gear for a climb up Pearly Gates.

When we got our fill, we headed back across the traverse to descend the way we came up. Down was still work but easier than going up. About halfway down the Old Chute, I found some steps someone had kicked in to the far right. We both followed this path down and having those tracks kicked in made the decent much easier.



Instead of going back through the dirt at the hot rocks area, we decided to traverse just below the bergschrund and the traverse was fairly easy. It was better than the way we had gone on the way up. Conditions change so much up there, it's hard to know on any given day which is the easiest route. I did take a slight detour to see down inside the berschrund (crevasse) that is open about 12 feet wide and 75 feet long near the top of the hogsback. Through Spring and Summer that crevasse opens wider and wider as the glacier moves down the mountain.

We descended hogsback past a big group of climbers. We rested again at the bottom of hogsback and changed into lighter clothing. The sun was fully up now and beating down. With no wind it was alarmingly warm. I took off every layer and beanie and spent the rest of the climb down in a long sleeve dryfit.  I had done pretty well to keep eating during the trek which helped keep my energy up. Favorites were beef jerky, sour patch kids (surprisingly 800 calories in a bag), granola bar and PB&J.  Scott had not fared so well as his stomach was upset most of the day, he had not eaten much at all and completely bonked. We were still above 10,000 ft and he had literally nothing in the tank. Again we were near devil's kitchen and the fumaroles so the sulfur fumes only exacerbated the problem. When we started down again, it was a little alarming as Scott was staggering one foot in front of the other.

We saw a line up of skis just below Devil's Kitchen. It looked like several skiers ditched their skis there to summit and then ski from there back down. There were quite a few people heading up, some just to ski down and some still heading up to summit. As we were getting close to the top of the Palmer lift, the grade wasn’t quite as steep and the open snowfields were a perfect chance for glissading.

We took off our crampons, sat down ice axes ready, and started sliding. It was wonderful to give my feet and legs a break and just cruise down the mountain. We quickly got the hang of it and used the ice axe along with our boots to check our speed on the way down. Scott started feeling much better as we dropped under 9,000 feet and was got his mojo back. The rest of the climb was a breeze as we glissaded on steep sections and hiked where it wasn’t steep enough to keep up speed.

With tired legs but feeling good we made it back to Timberline Lodge. Total climb time 9 hours and 39 minutes to ascend (and descend) 5,226 ft.

The climb was a success for Scott and I although I wish Stu could have been there through it all with us. It was more challenging than I expected but also more exhilarating. I don’t have any immediate plans for which mountain is next, but am thinking Mt Shasta & Mt Adams are looking pretty go

 

 

Sunshine, Blessed Sunshine!

Boy have we been waiting for this. Temperatures reaching the 70's, and warm sunshine all day long. Even the Western winds decided to pipe down for a few days so we could come out of hibernation! It has been a fantastic three days, and things are looking good through the end of the week! Everyone in this house needed a little sunshine, a little outdoor exercise and neighborly friendship. The winter of '13-14 was mean, and we are ready to forget it! And of course we had to start of with a little grillin'...!

We finally were able to break-in our new grill! Thanks Mom and Dad for such a great Christmas gift!
We did it right by grilling up 8-Top Sirloin Steaks!

Springtime cruisin'! Vaughn and Hailey.

Dads need friends too! We have fun and social neighbors.

My own sweet sunshine. Kate at 21-months.

Rocking is always more fun with a sister.

She ran up to show me her necklace. She loves those cheap beads.

Artist: Hailey / Medium: Sidewalk Chalk

First run of the year! (wearing last year's shorts...!)

Ran an easy 12-minute miler, she gets it from her daddy!

Everyday after work, the girls run outside in hopes daddy will oblige them to some swing time!

First hot dog party of the year! All the kids loved it!
 (Top-Clockwise: Hailey, Vaughn, Lyla, Quinn, Kate, Rowan, Grayson)

Bring on Summer!

Becoming Prepared: Our Start

Last spring, after hearing of a horrific tornado in Moore, Oklahoma that caused devastating destruction and left families in shambles, I decided it was time to get serious about emergency preparedness. The only thing I had in the way of a 72-hour-kit was a 12x6-inch First Aid bag we got when we married. After watching the news coverage, I was motivated and ready to take this project on. I started by researching the emergency concerns in my area (tornadoes, winter storms, house fire). With that in mind I started a list, pulled suggestions from online bloggers, and then spent time thinking about each individual's daily needs (contact lenses, binkys, medical prescriptions, hair ties and bobby-pins).

When I had completed my lengthy list, I started gathering unused items in my home and compiling them for our kits. I soon realized there was a lot missing, and headed to the store to fill in the blanks. I already had a couple carrying bags to hold our items, but decided to buy two additional large outdoor backpacks so that each family member would be able to carry his/her emergency bag if needed. I spent about $100 during that shopping trip-which made Kyle cringe at first. I mean, both of us figured we wouldn't be using most of the tools, possibly EVER! However- as we found out, you can never predict how things will be 6-months from now. As I packed up those bags in April, I had NO IDEA that in November I'd be huddled with my family in our dark basement, as a E-F4 Tornado swept through my town. Those emergency bags gave me the peace of mind I needed to stay calm, knowing that no matter what happened, we would be ready.

Washington, Illinois
November 17, 2013

I plan to update my 72-hour Bags yearly. My food items are good for 2-years, and there is nothing I need to swap more frequently. I took some advice I'd heard, and decided to make our church's General Conference weekend my yearly emergency-update weekend as well. This year was pretty simple. I added a couple items I'd forgotten last Spring, like a utility knife, work gloves, a large roll of Duct tape--and switched out most of Kate's bag. I envisioned how very unhappy she would be if all she had to eat was bottled soy-formula, and diapers that were 2-sizes too small. It is very important to update your kits! I also learned a few things from watching my friends and neighbors share their stories of survival, and the days following that tornado disaster.

  1. Many families in our town who sheltered in their basements while the tornado was overhead were found trapped-in by house debris, and couldn't get out without assistance. The basement stairwells and window-wells were filled with broken wood, boards, nails and glass. For this reason I included sturdy shoes and work gloves in each pack. Also--whistles or other noisemakers to let neighbors/rescuers know you are inside.
 2. In the days following the tornado, homeowners were required by state police to show 'proof of address' in order to get access to their damaged neighborhoods/homes and recover personal belongings. Many obviously did not have their driver license, or any paperwork to show proof of address. I included copies of all identification documents with our current address listed.
3. I learned from last season that winter storms can hit fast, and often much harder than what weatherman predict. My primary concern would be this happening while we are traveling. Our family has traveled to Indianapolis (3.5hr-drive), St. Louis (3hr-drive), Nauvoo (2.5hr-drive), and Bloomington (50-min drive) in the winter. If our car were to get stuck, or if we were suddenly unable to drive in a blizzard, or breakdown among the long sweeps of cornfields--I'd want to have my emergency bags with me. We plan to pack them in our trunk anytime we go far from home.

It is a wonderful feeling to have started our family preparedness. I feel more confident in our future knowing that I've equipped my family with much of what will be needed in any type of emergency. I can testify that the call to be prepared is not for tomorrow, but for today. It was not raining when Noah built the ark; but he built it, and the rains came.

"The best storehouse is the family storeroom. In words of revelation the Lord has said, 'Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing'...
for 'If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear.'       

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Want to check out my list? Just click HERE!

Daddy-Daugther Day!

Let it go down in the history books that Kyle Monson is one of the best daddies ever! Along with being a great dad, he is becoming a better husband to me everyday. He is always anxious to help me when I need it, and this last Wednesday was no exception. I was coming down with a virus, which rendered me tired, anxious and overwhelmed by our Spring Break week. Hailey was tired of being in the house, she missed Preschool greatly, and longed to be outside but couldn't (the cold and wind haven't left us yet). Kate was in the midst of teething (molars!), and us girls were going a little bit crazy by midweek.

Kyle saw our pathetic little situation at home, and stepped up big time! He got off work using a personal day, and planned a trip to the Children's Discovery Museum all afternoon with both girls. Hailey was ecstatic! As soon as the kids woke up he was out of bed feeding them breakfast, letting me sleep undisturbed. He then dressed and packed-up the kids for their trip to Bloomington, and spent 2-1/2 hours playing with them there. After the museum he took the girls to Chili's for lunch, finally making the long drive home.

Kyle is already a great father, help-meet and equal caregiver in our home. He is the modern, super-involved dad; while also taking on the role of the traditional patriarch by providing financially for our family. Hailey, Kate and I are greatly blessed to have him. Raising a family is a wonderful work, and one that requires lots of kindness, compassion, and strength. I'm so thankful for the man working beside me!

Kate enjoyed the tractor simulator. Harvesting Illinois corn!

Hailey examining various x-rays. She made sure to tell her daddy all about each one.

Pedaling alongside skeletor!

Look at those happy faces! 

Kate is 18-months!

Kate Stats: 32 lbs/34.25 inches

Kate is turning into a funny little lady. In the past 3-months she has grown into a very communicative little girl, albeit without using words! She uses a lot of hand gestures, and points to an object and then to herself when she wants something. Its quite funny, but we do want her to start talking! She just grunts, points, whines and uses her expressions to communicate with all of us! Ironically, she is very musically talented already! She will sing the entire melody to songs like "Twinkle, Twinkle, little star" and "Jingle Bells" without missing a note! Instead of words, she'll use "ba" or "da". I've never heard an 18-month old sing so clearly, its so cute!

Letting me know she would like the baking cookies using only gestures and grunts!

She is on the top physically! She is our big girl, WAY off the charts in weight, and 97% for height! We love it, she is able to run and crawl up on anything, and loves to chase her sister around the house. :) She just started gaining interest in books, and will climb right ontop of our us with a book to 'read'. She loves tackling, grabbing, and hugging her sister and daddy, but she doesn't like tickling as much as Hailey does. She enjoys dancing, and does a funny hip twist and stomp when she really gets going!

You can see how blonde she is, which is still so funny to Kyle and I. We expect her hair to change to brown, so it's just funny that she remains so tow-headed still! I think Kyle and I would agree that one of the best attributes of Kate at this age is her expressions. If there is one noticeable trait that I passed on to little Kate, it is her arched eyebrows, and she knows how to use them! She will glance our way with a slight grin as her green/gray eyes light up at the same time her eyebrows lift high on her forehead in a knowing look. Kyle and I both just laugh everytime, that sweet face is going to get her out of a lot of trouble. 

This girl loves all things baby! Including baby dolls and strollers!

Silly grins!

Hailey & Board Games

Hailey has a new favorite habit, and that is a nightly board game with mom and dad. Up until Christmas, we did not own a single board game, and I thought that maybe Hailey would be around the right age to start, so I gave out the idea to a few family members. Well, they came through! We now own 3 or 4 board games, all which are perfect for Hailey! She squeals in delight every single time Kyle or I agree to play a game with her, during the game when she pulls the 'lollipop' card in 'Candyland', and at the end of the game after one of us wins. She doesn't care who wins, who loses, who gets the "Go back 3 spaces" card, or whose mouse gets trapped. She just LOVES the game!

I feel bad that I hadn't introduced her to games before now! Now she just needs a few more players...! :)

Mousetrap: She loves to watch the net drop successfully,  thanks to Cousins Makenzie, Asher, Conner and Drew and Aunt Mikael & Uncle Derek for the fun game!

I shouldn't have tired getting a photo so near to the end of the game, she wouldn't look up for a second! Thanks to Great-Grandma Carlson for Candyland!

Puzzles are a close 2nd to board games! She did this on her own!

Dear Grandma

I have lived a very blessed family life. Growing up with a compassionate mother and a strong father who raised up their children to love God, then family, provided me with the confidence to become the best kind of woman I can be. I remember traveling for several days by car to visit extended family in Utah, Idaho and California. Growing up I found friendship with my cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. This is such a blessing to me now, a I try to carry on that important tradition of family.

I've also been fortunate to live 28-years without facing the death of a close family member. However this last October, my dear Grandma Barbara Cammack Anderson passed on to the heavens, surrounded by her children and family the last few weeks of her life. Although I knew this day would have to be faced, I underestimated how strongly I felt her loss. I guess it's true what they say, that you never know what you have until it's gone. At Grandma's memorial service, her brothers told stories and shared their love for their only sister, and I realized that there was even more to this wonderful woman than I had known. She was a loving mother, a welcoming neighbor, a caring and patient sister, a thoughtful aunt, and she still holds Grandpa's heart as his one and only eternal companion.

She was my grandma. As I was thinking of her on my flight to Idaho, I was flooded with memories that I scribbled down quickly in a notebook. I want to remember these things.

My heart breaks for the loss of Grandma, who we all loved so very much. I have many fond and loving memories I hold in my heart of sweet Grandma Barbara Anderson.

When I think of Grandma, the way I picture her is always the same; her lit up with joy and happiness, a wide smile across her lips, radiating warmth. I know this impression of her is with me so vividly because this is how she looked, when she'd look at me. I could never describe the joy and pride she felt for her family, but I feel it, and always will. Her kindness towards me has shaped who I am as a woman and mother. I want my children to feel how I felt in her presence. To me, that is her legacy.

I remember well the trips Grandpa and Grandma made tot he Midwest when I was young. I loved the attention I got when Grandma would ask Missy and I to stand at the fireplace and sing Primary songs! Our immature and squeaky voices were nothing special-but I felt like a star singer by the way Grandma would clap and compliment us, always requesting another song. 

As we all got a little older, our family began making visits to Idaho and Utah, where Grandma was quick to flatter my teenage appearance. To a girl of 14,15, 17 and 20, those kind and gracious words, given so freely, made me feel like a million bucks! She seemed to be aware of all our needs, and was ever-anxious to fill them. This included filling our bellies. At Grandma's home, you never wanted for anything. Breakfasts were particularly and unusually large! Kyle still talks of the wide variety of juices and drinks that were stocked in the fridge during our visits! As students at BYU, I knew I always had a home south of Provo to find refuge from the occasional stress and strain of college life. Thanksgiving was always memorable, and wonderful to experience as a single adult, and then again as a married, new mom! I was so excited to share with Kyle the home of my grandparents. I knew he would be welcomed into Grandma's home with the same amount of love and warmth that I had always felt as a granddaughter. 

I'm so grateful that little Hailey was able to be embraced by Grandma's loving arms, and that she felt her sweetness and warmth during bedtime stories sitting on Grandma's lap.

Grandma taught me charity, service, patience, faith, kindness, acceptance and love. Through these things I will remember her, my dear Grandma.

It is a hard thing to know that it will be long before I feel the soft warmth of Grandma's hugs again. It is glorious to know that I will see her again. I am so grateful for her and my Grandpa's faithful lives, bearing their testimony of the gospel and our Redeemer Jesus Christ. They loved as He loves. The most powerful testimony my Grandpa gave to us was in a moment of emotion when his daughters held up the clean, white gown they had purchased after my Grandma's passing; the one her body would be dressed in for her funeral service and burial. Asking Grandpa if he liked the dress, his eyes welled up with tears as he tried to speak, but instead quietly walked out of the room. He returned just moments later and said, "What I wanted to say was, 'She is going to look so beautiful on resurrection morning.' "

I have no doubt that my valiant Grandfather was given a merciful gift at that moment to see through the heavenly veil, to view his wife of 65-years in her perfected glory of the millennial day. For just as Jesus Christ lived and died, and was raised again-so shall we.

I was so proud to stand up with my cousins and sing again for my Grandma, on the day of her service, the sweet hymn "How Great Thou Art". As we sang, and the tears flowed, I felt the power of these words:

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.

Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,

And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Until we meet again Grandma, I love you.