{Pieces of our past}

I have not posted anything in a long long time. I wanted to be able to post new pictures and memorabilia before I added entries since it's been so long since I've had any new pictures to share. So finally I sat down, reconnected my scanner and made time. Enjoy all these amazing pieces of our history. I still can't believe how grandma, and then grandpa, held onto these things, but I am so so so thankful they did.

First of all, in lieu of Valentine's Day which I am about 3 weeks late for (!), here are some old Valentines that I came across. How precious are these?!

And also in lieu of Valentine's Day, here is a love letter I found from grandma to grandpa. I am assuming it is from their senior year of high school as she says at the end of the letter that she was writing it during trig. (Please click on it to view it more clearly.)

I found this pay stub of grandpa's when he worked for the coal company. He worked 78 hours for very little pay. Wow, I can't believe how hard he worked for so little money. Now I see even more why he was always such a hard worker. (Please click on it to see it in full detail.)

And here is that hard-working very handsome man. I am guessing this may be his high school graduation picture??

{More posts with more pictures in the coming days!}

Love Letters

[Slowly I am stumbling upon more and more wonderful things from grandma & grandpa's past. Tonight it were love letters. I'm not sure the exact date that these were written, but I think around 1945 as grandma was working at Millikin National Bank - she wrote one letter on paper w/ this letterhead. Amazingly, grandpa wrote quite a few and he was pretty good with his words. Also, amazingly, they kept almost every letter or card ever written to each other. How sweet. And how lucky we all are today to be able to have them. So in love they were. I absolutely love reading these . . . ]

Mon. morn 8:55 A.M.

Golly, Honey, I hope you're as happy as I am this morning. My heart is so full of happiness that I feel as if I might burst if I don't say some of the things that I'm feeling. I don't know why I am so happy - - - unless it's because I'm in love. I know that's the reason. Isn't it funny, Darling, that it takes so little to make you happy when you're in love? Just to know that the one person in the world who means my whole life loves me - - - well, Honey, nothing could spoil the way I feel this morn.

I've never felt before just the same as I do this morning. I've felt lots of things before, Honey, but nothing ever as wonderful as this. Oh, Darling, I hope you know what I'm trying to say - - - there just aren't the words to say what I really feel - - - I think that's something you just have to know. This letter would sound awfully silly to someone who didn't understand but, Dearest, I think you will.

Honey, I wish you could know how much it means to me to know and to be able to be with a family like yours, but I know you can't. I can only say that - - - well, Darling, I can't really say what I mean - - - but it just gives me a feeling of everything being perfect. I can only hope that someday your mother and father and your brothers and sisters will love me just a little. I don't know whether I am or could be worthy of that, but I hope so, Honey, because that would really make me happy. I love them, Darling - - - of course, Honey, its in a different way than I love you, but I really do love them. I wish that in some way your folks could know how much it means to me to be there. Maybe they would love me a little more if they could know that.

Well, Dearest, I really must stop. I don't think there's anyone in the world as happy as I am. I hope you feel the same way, Darling. Please write, and I love you very much.

With All My Love Forever,
Shirley

Letter that grandpa wrote to grandma:

Dearest Darling Shirley,
I Love You.

I just got home from town a while ago. I had to take mom in because she was afraid to go by herself for fear of a flat (you know, one of those things like we had about a week ago.)

The girls & I have been wrestling all evening. They never hurt me but then I started wrestling with the two little boys & they just about knocked the devil out of me. Golly, Honey, but I'm lonesome for you tonight. Boy I'll be glad for the day when I can change that last name of yours (that is with your consent of course.) I sure hope you'll say yes. Honey, I really do love you aplenty.

I'm in bed. Richard's asleep here beside me (he's snoring as usual.)

Boring, aren't I??

I guess George & Helen have just about got their troubles straightened out, haven't they?

Gee, Honey, I hope that we never split up because I sure get a funny feeling that things aren't going so well & maybe you might quit me. I hope the day never comes when we find out that we don't love on another. Really, though, I don't think that day will come.

I'll Always Love You, Dearest,
Duane

Be dreaming of you . . .
Still love me, Darling??
Good night S.D. W.