13. Today I am grateful for my Grandma

Awhile ago I decided that I would like to go out to Scotland to celebrate my Grandma's 90th birthday with her on September 8, 2011. I am really grateful that I was able to arrive in Scotland this morning in time to celebrate with my Grandma. My Uncle Alex booked the hall at the church building and organized a nice party that was attended by family and friends (mostly members of the Dumbarton ward where she is affectionately known as ‘Granny Couper’). After napping for a few hours I went and helped set up. It was neat going through the pictures that had been enlarged and printed off and put up on the wall. There were a couple that I had never seen, such as ones of her with family members in Germany right before immigrating to Scotland.  

Elisabeth Couper (nee Tautz) is the only grandparent I have really had the opportunity to know personally and even though I have not had the opportunity to see my Grandma very often as she lives in Scotland she has been a great influence in my life.

I recently wrote about how grateful I was to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is because of my Grandma that the gospel was brought into my family. She has also been an example of someone who was able to at times stand alone in her faith. She has also been an example of overcoming adversity. My Grandma was born in Germany and soon after the war their town of Eisersdorf, Germany was placed under Polish administration and the family lost their home. This area is now called Klodzko, Poland. Sometime after relocating to another part of Germany, my grandma immigrated to Scotland. She often talks about how her father did not like Hitler and what was happening in Germany but living in a communist country, there was little citizens could do. I can see though that my Grandma strives to look at the positive and she also has a great sense of humour and finds joy in both the simple and great things in life. One of Grandma’s favourite things is the birdie dance which we played during the party, she loved it!

It was nice to see that all four of her children could be there to celebrate and several of her grandchildren and one great grandchild. It would have been so nice to have all of the grandchildren and great grandchildren there to celebrate. However, due to people being spread out throughout the world (From Canada, the USA, and France to New Zealand) and working and going to school it wasn’t possible. Maybe for her 100^th birthday party? J