I have so many memories with Grandma Hull. She used to live in Provo in a blue house that had a really nice deck in the back yard. We used to have family parties on the back deck when I was younger. She also used to have a bunny trail that went down a hill in her backyard. The bunny trail had fake animals placed strategically through out it.Grandma had a lot of salt and pepper shakers and other trinket things in her family room. She used to have a glass cow that we were able to use to pour milk out of.
I remember how all of the great grandchildren would stand back to back with Grandma each time we saw her to see if we had grown taller than her yet. It didn't take most of us very long because she was only 5 feet tall, but it was a great accomplishment to grow taller than her. Grandpa Hull, on the other hand, was over 6 feet tall so not many of us outgrew him.
When Grandpa passed away, Grandma moved in with Grandma Norma and she lived there for a lot of years. We were blessed to get to see Grandma Hull even more now because she lived closer.
I remember that Grandma Hull was at all of the family parties that we had. We always got to have her with us at our Christmas parties and Easter parties growing up. Each year we would have a big party with all of my mom's cousins and such. It was a very close extended family that Grandma Hull brought together.
I remember one time when Grandma Hull had hurt her shoulder and was supposed to be doing physical therapy on it. I would go over to her house a few times a week during that time period to help her do it. She used to cheat while she was counting how many reps she would do: "One, two, three, five, six, eight, ten." I would tell her that she counted wrong and she would accuse me a lying.
Grandma was there when I got blessed and when I got baptized. Grandma came to the temple with me when I got my endowments out. Grandma was there when I got married. She has been there for me through all of my most special events.
I remember the first time that Grandma Hull met Lydia and Grandma kept running her fingers through Lydia's hair and she couldn't believe how much hair she had. All Grandma wanted to do was sit and hold Lydia. She wouldn't let anyone take her away from her.
Earlier this year, Lydia and I were able to go and help watch Grandma Hull while Grandma Norma was at work. Lydia was moving all over the place and wouldn't hold still and Grandma kept saying how busy she was, but even then, all she wanted to do was sit and hold Lydia and Lydia just wanted to play with Grandma. I had to put Lydia on the couch by Grandma so that they both would take naps.
Grandma kept trying to share her breakfast with Lydia and she didn't understand that Lydia could only eat certain foods.
Grandma had a sense of humor all through her life. She was always joking and always had something witty to say.
When Grandma was 89 we were blessed to get to take her to Disneyland and on a cruise with us. Grandma and I shared a room on the cruise ship and it was so much fun to get ready in the morning with her. She always wanted to look her best with her make-up on and her hair done. We had to wake up earlier than everyone else so Grandma would have enough time to get ready. On the last day of the cruise, the cruise director came onto the intercom at about 6:00 announcing which sections were allowed to leave the cruise ship. Grandma Hull was still sleeping and he woke her up, so the rest of the morning as she was getting ready she just yelled at him each time he came over the intercom saying that he was so rude in waking people up that early while they were on vacation.That same summer, we had a family party at my parent's house and I had saddled up the horses for the cousins to ride. Grandma told me that I was wasting my time saddling the horse because in her day she used to just jump on the horse bareback and go. Grandma, at age 89, insisted that she wanted to ride the horse and wouldn't take no for an answer.
In August, we celebrated Grandma Hull's birthday at her son Bill's house in Orem. She turned 94 and said that she was ready to go out water skiing. She was still doing good and had fun sitting and visiting with everyone.
Lydia and I were blessed to get to see Grandma one last time a little over a month ago. Justin went out deer hunting with his dad in southern Utah and I was debating if I should go south with him. I ended up going because I knew it would give me a chance to get to see Grandma. She was living with her daughter, Carol. It was a fun visit. We just sat and talked. Grandma talked about how she couldn't go swimming because she had holes in the knees of her swimming suit. We talked about all of Grandma's great great grandchildren and she showed me pictures of most of them. Grandma just wanted Lydia to be by her, but also loved watching Lydia roll around the floor to get from place to place. It was a sweet visit and I am so lucky that I was able to go see her. While I was there, Grandma Hull kept asking about how Grandma Norma was doing and I know that she missed her and was waiting for Grandma Norma to go visit her. Grandma Norma was able to visit Grandma Hull the weekend before she passed away.
Grandma's funeral was on Tuesday, November 23. It was such a good service. It was so much fun to listen to all of the memories people had of Grandma and to celebrate her life. I was so blessed to get to know my great grandma as well as I did. We spent a lot of time with her and I am blessed to have her as an example in my life. I know that Grandma is excited to be with home for the holidays and to get to spend the holiday season with Grandpa! We love you Grandma.
