Grandpa's Letters

Long before I knew what our One Word would be for this month, I wrote the prompts for Picture Summer (the class I am teaching over at Big Picture Scrapbooking this month). The prompt for Thursday had to do with capturing in a photo, a personal treasure. Sweet synchronicity!

When I saw the above image in our classroom gallery I was stopped in my tracks. When I read the brief caption under it from the photographer Julie, I got goose bumps.

I am honored that Julie agreed to share this story with us about this undeniable treasure:

Sixty-five years. 

These letters are sixty five years old, written by my grandfather in 1945 to his young bride as he served his country as a medic during World War II.  My grandfather was deeply in love with my grandmother.  He never stopped referring to her as his girlfriend throughout their long lives together, how sweet is that?  Their young love was even sweeter. 

I am very lucky, as the oldest grandchild, to have inherited this treasure. To make it even more special, these letters were written to my grandmother when she was pregnant with her first child, my mother.  I am so grateful that my grandmother kept these letters.  They were very dear to her then as they are to me now.  Each letter was carefully opened with a letter opener and after it was read it was returned to its envelope to be stored in her cedar chest.  Today these letters call my cedar chest their home. 

My treasure. 

Image and words courtesy of Honorary Sister/Guest Blogger Julie Allaway.

Comments

[Kat]

Gorgeous photo and story Julie! Thank you so much for sharing it with us Tracey.

[Marcie]

Oh..this is so poignant and meaningful. Love both the image..and the story behind it!!

[Shelby]

This is so amazing and beautiful. ♥

[Kathryn Dyche Dechairo]

What a beautiful story, an amazing treasure.

[Mary]

Julie, what a beautiful testimony to your grandparents' love...and those incredible letters are truly a treasure...have you seen the new book by Lynne Griffin called Sea Escape? Lynne found letters from her father written to her mother...so she based the story aorund these beautiful letters...the book is already a huge summer reading hit. www.lynnegriffin.com

[xanthe]

what wonderful treasure! x.

[gibknitty]

what a unique treasure. a window into the past that most of us can only dream of having. thank you for sharing this beautiful photo and story.

[Tracy]

Wow. An absolutely special and amazing treasure. A lovely photograph as well. What a beautiful story to start my day!

[kristin]

oh wow. the post yesterday was about my husband's grandmother who lived in england during world war 2 and met her husband and american soldier fighting in the army and they too fell in love and wrote letters for years until they too could marry and she move to his home in america. your letters give me goosebumps since i have now known this kind of love in our family and each opened just as yours, with a letter opener and saved in pristine condition. so SO wonderful.

[Jen at Cabin Fever]

That is absolutely amazing and touching. I bet those letters tell a wonderful story that would make the heart ache. My grandmother still writes me letters and I save them. They aren't of anything in particular, just family news and things happening in her town and her life, but I absolutely love reading them and am excited about what they will mean half a century from now.

http://www.nekphotography.blogspot.com

http://www.cabinfeververmont.com

[Bridge]

what a beautiful post to start the day!

[Stephanie]

I love this and it is very personal to me. My husband has been to war twice for 18 months at a time. In spite of the ability to e-mail, we have written many letters to each other which I have saved. It makes me happy to think that future generations might treasure them the way you do.

[soupatraveler]

oh, i love this one! so much beauty and emotion in a single image. its wonderful!

[cigi]

Beautiful story and photograph and a most lovely start to my day. Thank you! :-)

[Girl With a Camera]

These are wonderful! I would want to read them, but I'd also be afraid to disturb them. Thank you for sharing!!

[Diane]

a beautiful image and an incredibly heartwarming post. Julie you are so fortunate indeed.

[Brenda]

one of the last things I got to do with my aunt before she died was to go though a stack of letters that her father, my grandfather had written to her mother, my grandmother before they got married. It was very intimate and special.because we knew how much they had loved each other.

[Kelly Langner Sauer]

"synchronicity" - I need to come up with a reason to use such words in my writing. I love it.

This is simply wonderful. I keep my own box of treasures, letters, journals, cards, memories. It is nothing like this, though. You remind me to add to it again.

[Libertad Leal]

Oh this is so sweet!! What a beautiful image and what a beautiful story! I've kept all the letter my husband wrote to me during our long, overseas courtship. I plan to give them to our oldest daughter one day. Here is a picture I took of them.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/libertadleal/4586949620/in/set-72157623364487243/

[Kellee]

That is incredible. I LOVE that.

[Gail]

I do wish that the habit of letter writing was still used often...emails and tweets will not be passed along to our grandchildren...

[Shawna]

Love, love, love the letters especially the beautiful handwriting addressing them. Such a lost art, beautiful handwriting! Thanks for sharing your treasure.

[Carolina]

such a beautiful story...

[Barb Sinclair]

I am Julie's aunt and I was touched. I just returned from a family funeral in Kansas. I didn't realize Ike's library was in Abilene, KS. I looked up directions on the net and found out that the Eisenhower library asks for information and personal memories about your soldier to be included in a kiosk which serves as a memorial. I am sending Julie's picture and story as part of his bio. The timing couldn't have been better. They also ask for a picture. I am forwarding their wedding picture as my dad was married in uniform. You were not allowed to wear civilian clothes during the War, even for your wedding.

[NflJerseyOnline]

These jerseys which are interestingly termed retro basketball jerseys are old school. Here is an example, men football jerseys, Kobe’s jersey at the present time, but the Lakers look 20 years ago. That would be an example of the throwback kind. Sports stars put them on now and again during games also.site:http://www.nfljerseyonline.com

[NflJerseyOnline]

Most of these jerseys state they’re replicas,sports jerseys store, yet in fact aren’t. They are the cheapest ones out there. They’ve screen imprinted lettering, additionally are made of the least expensive fabrics availableNike.
site:http://www.nfljerseyonline.com.
site:http://www.bagonhand.com.
site:http://www.sportshoes007.com

[Michelle]

gorgeous! i've actually inherited something very similar - my nano was a medic in world war ii as well and asked my nana to marry him before he left. for four years she waited for him and they only communicated through letters. now i have a big box of all his letters, which are romantic & humorous...probably the possession i am most protective of.

[ugg botas]

Pictures of you is really very beautiful, you is so beautiful that I cann't describe my feeling for you, your life is very rich, live very happy makes me envy, believe that many more people to view your site, I will continue to support you! ! !Certainly, your pictures very good-looking also.
http://www.botas-ugg.org ugg botas
http://www.stivaliuggitalia.com ugg stivali roma
http://www.cheaplvhandbags.net Cheap Designer Handbags
http://www.discountuggsaustralia.com UGGs Australia
http://www.chaussuresguccipascher.com chaussures gucci
http://www.uggclassicbootsoutlet.com ugg classic boots
http://www.bestnikeair.com nike air max

[Party Dresses]

Plan calls for things organized, so, in order to obtain better results. Marriage is such an effective plan occasion is necessary.

[air jordan shoes]

These information helps me consider some useful things, keep up the good work.
http://www.belowbulk.com

[UGG]

That was a great piece of information, I enjoyed reading it.

[dreambox satellite receiver]

thank you, it is good, i like it

[cheap clothes online]

It makes me feel so surprise.I never know there is such a place that I can find <a href="http://www.cheapmass.com/">cheap designer clothing</a>,The site offers different <a href="http://www.cheapmass.com/">designer clothing wholesale</a> kinds of LV,Chanel,Coach etc.It's really a great <a href="http://www.cheapmass.com/">clothes stores</a> with cheap and high quality.Join it now!

[retro jordans]

It's so great.I nerver know there are so many <a href="http://www.chinabulksite.com/">jordans shoes</a> can be found,I can buy <a href="http://www.chinabulksite.com/">wholesale jordan shoes</a> online so easily.The <a href="http://www.chinabulksite.com/">new jordan shoes</a> are all at low price.Get a move on now!

[cheap nike shoes]

http://www.buy-shoes-bag.com
http://www.wholesalecheapsunglasses.com

[nike shoes cheap]

<a href="http://nikeairforcesupplier.com/"> Nike Air Force Ones Shoes </a>
<a href="http://www.super-discount-sneakers.com/"> nike shoes cheap </a>
<a href="http://www.discount-sneakers-online.com/"> ugg boots cheap</a>
<a href="http://www.discount-true-religion-jeans-online.com">true religion jean cheap sale</a>
<a href="http://www.ugg-boots-best-choose.com/"> cheap ugg boots sale</a>

[Coach Factory Outlet]

I conceive you have remarked some very interesting details , thanks for the post.

[jerseys wholesale]

Thank you for your share

So many new jerseys (cheap and great quality) show on our site www.2011jerseysstore.com welcome to view and choose some one!!!

[new era hats]

This really answered my problem, thank you!
new era hats
http://www.hats-world.com
wholesale new era hats
http://www.wholesale-cheap-newerahats.com/

[Coach Factory Outlet]

Do we like to do, a dream only a miracle; just read this blog, I have the energy to do more.

[wholesale new ear hat]

    Don't try to hard, the best things come when you least expect them to. 
http://www.newerahatfactory.com/

[Coach Factory Oultet]

I'm not very technical, but I can see quite quickly. I believe that you need to write more on this subject information, it may not be a taboo subject, but the average person is not enough etc. Topic said.

[33]

When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire,take down this book,
And slowly read,and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once,and of their shadows deep;
http://www.tiffanyoutlets.com/12-tiffany-locket
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
http://www.tiffanyoutlets.com/11-anchor-pendant
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur,a little sadly,how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

[33]

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
http://www.louisvuitton-pas-cher.com
The vine still clings to the moldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

[Bouvier ugg 2011]

<a href="http://www.bottesugg2011.com/">bottes ugg</a><br><a href="http://www.bottesugg2011.com/ugg-argyle-knit-bottes-5879-2/">UGG Argyle knit Bottes 5879</a>,Assicurarsi che scrutare intorno, programma di MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION della vostra compagna spazio lavoro non può essere una misura intelligente.Criteri di ammissione di ogni corso possono variare<a href="http://www.goose2011jakke.com/">Canada Goose jackets</a>.Accettazione i prezzi variano per applicazione MBA.Quando dal modo migliore MBA programma, prendere in considerazione ciò che dovreste fare facendo uso della vostra carriera.A pochi pacchetti di software MBA hanno livelli, ma una volta la vostra attenzione, e questo può essere qualcosa per la ricerca.Anche grande perché applicare per un MBA on-line.Molte persone hanno bisogno di rendere più oro o acquistare un fare diverso.MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION è un metodo di diversificare voi stessi, se si sceglie di sperare di passare le industrie.Un sacco di queste opzioni di essere disponibile nel possibile.Vuoi ottenere la tua laurea nei motori di ricerca o in appena un ambiente educativo tradizionale? Ognuno ha i propri vantaggi.Programmi di affiliazione MBA sono l'obiettivo qui, così pensiamo: Plus - semplicità.Si può restare dove sei a.Cercherò classe un lavoro basato su casa o in una spiaggia all'interno la Giamaica

[moncler outlet]

good post! thank you for your post....

[good post]

moncler 2012, moncler cheap, moncler sale,moncler outlet http://www.monclersalestore.com

[good post]

good post! thank you for your post....
moncler outlet http://www.monclersalestore.com

[air max shoes]

Tickets are available October 12th at 1PM EST so if you like to be teased or kicked in the nuts, you better go to the site and keep refreshing until you can get a ticket<a href="http://www.airmaxsalecheap.com">air max shoes</a>

[Cheap NHL Jerseys]

You possibly can plant an enormous amount of useful bits of information and details on sports activities using the tiny league tale guide. practically all information and details and details is without any a doubt methodically repaired on this publication in purchase that you just cannot certainly need your individual tiny brown eye out it all. It's going to revitalize your mind jointly with bodily structure.