Verda

This weekend I got to meet my great aunt Verda. She is my grandpa Dabel's sister. Since my grandpa passed away when I was 15, I never really meet too many relatives on his side. I mean, there were a lot of kids in his family- 19 to be exact, and that's a lot of great aunts and uncles! We heard that Aunt Verda was a firecraker though, and fun to visit. But before we go any further, we need to talk about this tree that was in her front yard.

A FACE made out of bubble gum! Amazing.

Verda lives in Smoot Wyoming. Yes, Smoot. It's right outside Afton Wyoming, where my mom grew up. Also known as Star Valley. Smoot has a population of 100. They have a post office and that's it. Well, that and my great aunt Verda.


When we got there she was sitting out on her porch, probably like she does everyday.

And this is her view. Not too bad.

She's funny. When she first laid eyes on Buck she exclaimed, "He's good looking... HEY!" Looks at me, "You knew what you were doing!" Old Women love Buck.

She sat there and told us stories. Stories from a long time ago, back when she was a "snot-nosed kid." She was animated and happy. She said that my great grandpa, her dad, August Dabel, was as honest as men come. She remembers him reading from his German bible every night. (He immigrated from Germany with his family when he was younger.) He used to work in a cheese factory but then later in life he decided to open up a movie theater right there in town. They say the seats were green and gold. My Grandpa actually used to play the organ for the silent films. Verda remembers going to the theater and popping popcorn and loving life. Sadly the theater burnt down a while ago. Wish we could see it!

Her mother, who raised all those 19 kids (who by the way, came from a meshing of families after August's first wife died and then he remarried. But still.) Anyway, her mother, my great grandma Sarah, used to bake 7 loaves of bread everyday. Later when I went into Verda's house I saw that she still carried on the tradition, only it was a single loaf, the dough still rising as it sat on her old wood stove.

She talked about how sometimes their dad would have to take trips to Salt Lake City. "The BIG City." And the kids would take turns going with him in his old box shaped car. It was a real treat, especially because on the way home they got to stop and eat dinner somewhere.

She married the love of her life, says he didn't have a mean bone in his body and never spoke a harsh word. The only thing he ever did was give her little taps on her rear and she said that sometimes she would get mad! Haha! (sounds familiar) Sadly, her husband died 25 years ago and she's been alone ever since. Thankfully most of her kids still live in the valley and they visit every week. 

Verda is 88 years old. She's says that she's ready to leave this earth and go onto the next life. Who could blame her? She says that she looks back on her life and she knows that she lived well; she has no regrets. She said, "Maybe I never had much money, but I never needed it. I followed what my mom taught me and what I felt God wanted."

So she says that she never wants to see her 90's. But I'm not sure if she'll be so lucky. She's 88 and lives alone and makes her own meals and gets around just fine. She has great health. What's more is that this woman chops her own wood. STILL. She said that her son told her she should stop but when he leaves she sneaks out back and takes that axe and chops away. Haha! She loves it!

Her home is simple but it tells a story. I sneaked a few photos, trying to show some of the story I saw.

Family photo. My grandpa is on the very back row, second to the right. Verda is on the next row, second to the right.

ummm, blurry photo. oops

 This little trip made me think a lot. A lot a lot. Buck and I talked on the drive home about how to simplify life- how can we give our kids something exciting to look forward to like Verda did with Salt Lake City and dinner? Eating at a diner was a special treat back then and now kids expect things like Disneyland instead. I wondered what it would feel like to be a widow for 25 years- or more. It's my biggest fear. I also married a man without a mean bone in his body. We've been trying to be more healthy and active this summer and it feels good- we want our elderly years to be fun too! And Buck and I love small towns. We wish to end up somewhere small someday (maybe not quite as small as Smoot....) but where Buck's career is taking him is not to a small town. But who knows. And I thought a lot about my ancestors. I never knew my great grandpa and I didn't get to know my grandpa as well as I should have before he died but I have always felt close to them. I want to visit Germany and learn about my heritage! AND I know this paragraph is super random and choppy but . . . such is my mind.

But I'll tell you what- you can bet that I wont be chopping my own wood at age 88.

I'm grateful that I got to meet my great aunt Verda. I'm proud to be apart of the family that I am. And I'm honored to be adding to it. :) (I mean with June. That was definitely not a pregnancy announcement. )

:)