April 7, 2017

Today I spent hours editing the life history of Greg's paternal grandmother, Birdie Gardner Jacobsen, for a big project one of the relatives is working on.  It is such a beautiful book, the layouts and pictures are fantastic, and the story was so fascinating.  I stayed up well past midnight trying to get it finished.  (I'm actually typing this the morning after...).

Birdie was a beautiful, smart, athletic, and incredibly musically talented lady.  She led a very interesting life.  She married Sylvan Jacobsen (my father-in-law's dad) and together they had three sons.  They were such a handsome couple, so young and full of promise.  But Sylvan had heart problems and died when he was around 40.  The doctors told him that his only option to live past 40 was to have open heart surgery.  I cried when I read the part where Birdie described this huge decision.  She said, "Sylvan loved life and he was crazy about his boys, so he wanted to do everything possible to live."  It was heartbreaking to read.  The surgery was not a success.  A year later, he passed away.  My father-in-law, Garr, was only twelve years old.

Birdie and Sylvan Jacobsen--engaged on New Year's Eve

As I delved deeply into her story, editing and working along, I came to know and love this woman.  I actually met her once when we were engaged and once when she was in a nursing home, but I, unfortunately, hardly paid much attention to her as she was old and frail.  Last night as I sat in my bed, propped up by pillows, with my computer on my lap, I had so many thoughts and questions for her.  In her pictures she was young and beautiful and vibrant.  She had so many wonderful talents and abilities.  And I'm amazed at her strength.  After losing her husband, she went back to school and work and supported her family as the secretary of the LDS institute at San Diego State.  I love this woman.

Hanging on my ancestor wall above the landing of my stairs, I have her picture, as well as her parents.  I look at them nearly every day.  And now I can look at them and really feel as though I know them and love them.  I am so thankful for the amazing legacy they have left behind.

It was hard to fall asleep after I shut my laptop for the night.  My eyes were weary, but my mind was going full speed.  Also, with Greg and the girls in Las Vegas for a volleyball tournament, I was lonely in my bed.  I never sleep as well without Greg next to me.  I kept thinking about how he is the exact age his grandpa was when he died.  I just couldn't imagine life without him.  I think I will hug him a bit tighter when he gets home.