80 years!

Grandpa Zilles turned 80 today, so on saturday we had a GREAT party! It was fun to have everyone together again, and to spend some fun time making memories!
I love you grandpa, we all put together a book with memories of grandpa, here's my memory:

I have many memories with grandpa, most of my favorites took place last summer while i was living with grandpa and grandma. We fell into all sorts of routines while i was there, and through that we were able to spend lots of quality time together. However most of my memories involve both grandpa and grandma, this is one of my favorites.

Grandpa had gone to work earlier that morning, i'm not sure now what he was doing, swathing, or chopping, it's all the same to me. anyway, at a set time, (let's say 1:00) Grams and i were supposed to go and pick him up down by the peeviner. We loaded up in Grandma's car...(she insisted on driving) and we headed down the road. After collecting grandpa we headed home, except for Grandma starting heading the wrong direction, Grandpa stated in his grandpa way, "Where we goin now". Grandma then told us that there was this beautiful plant that she had been eying along side of the road and she just had to pick it. Well i turned and looked at grandpa, (who was in the back seat) and he just shrugged his shoulders. well in the middle of nowhere grandma pulled off the road, and pointed to a patch of white sticks, she told me to go and pick this certain white stick/bush... and then she handed me a huge kitchen knife! i hesitated and then she sent me on my way. after a few minutes i succeded in gathering the stick/bush and i got back in the car. Grandpa through this whole thing was just a chucklin and when i showed it to him he said, "oh em, that's just lovely, just lovely"

well it gets better, a few days later i drove up to the dry farm with gramps. when we parked the car he showed me around, and pointed out his favorite spots. Then he bent down a picked a white stick/bush thing out of the ground, just like the one that grandma had previously fallen in love with, and said with a wink and a smile, "lets take this back to grandma!"

you see gramps has a great sence of humor and it always cracks me up. But not only does he have a great sense of humor he has a strong testimony of this gospel, of eternal families, of temple work, and of love. he's a great example to me, and to all of my cousins, and siblings. Grandpa will always hold a special place in my heart, he confirmed me a member of this gospel, and not a days goes by that i don't think of him and silently thank him for that!

i love you grandpa! Happy 80th birthday! you're my hero!!!