For those of you who don’t know, our Grandma Clement passed away this past week. It wasn’t unexpected seeing as she’s been really sick in the hospital the last month, which gave us all the opportunity to say goodbye.

When my dad was (18 or 19, I don’t remember) he moved to Utah, and in order to learn English, he thought it would be good to retake a year or two of highschool. So Val and Grant Clement opened up their home to him. My dad would then end up living with the for 3 years during which he had started referring to them as Mom and Dad.

The contact between my dad and the Clements continued through my parents marriage, and through each of us being born. Growing up, I only ever knew them as “Grandma and Grandpa.” During the few times we visited Utah growing up, we stayed with them, and always spent time with them playing board games and card games. They travelled down to Texas for my baptism which was so much fun for them and us. Every holiday and birthday they would always (without fail) call us and send us something.

I was so happy that they were both able to be there when Natalia & I were married. Now having lost Grandma, we (my siblings & I) realize what a huge impact they have had in our lives, and we are so thankful. My parents came in this weekend for the funeral, which was yesterday. Needless to say, it was sad. But it was a nice opportunity for our family to bond a bit over the memory of our Grandma.