We Learn Best by Example

The sweetest love story I have ever heard is the one my Grandpa Eddington used to tell about my Grandma, one I only ever got little snippets of.

They were high school sweethearts in post-war metro Utah; she was a year older in school, the only daughter of a well-respected Patriarch. He did everything he possibly could to convince her that he was the one she should marry.

This included several school dances, a ring in a sock, and a very nervous young man.

(That's my favorite part.)

Two missions, three years and who knows how many letters later, they were married.
He never let her forget that she was his Queen.

They both went to BYU, I believe, although Grandpa never talked about his own time there. To hear him tell it, Grandma was the brilliant scholar; she was the one who sacrificed most when they started their family and eventually raised eleven children.

She was the apple of his eye, no doubt. While he worked years of overtime at the post office in addition to various callings (later as Stake Patriarch), she was the first one on the block to have a microwave - an electric mixer - a bread maker - etc. She turned down good offers to move and work full-time; she waited until the kids were in bed to do her transcription work.

For many years I wondered if/why Grandpa singled me out among the 70+ grandchildren he had; it seemed like whenever we visited, he turned the conversation to me. My parents reassured me that it wasn't just my imagination. The only explanation we ever came up with was that out of all the grandchildren, I was the one most like Grandma.

Perhaps the best tribute to this great man and his wonderful wife is the one I could never give.
On their 50th wedding anniversary, my grandparents had a special temple session. Every One of their eleven children, and nearly all of their spouses, were in attendance for the occasion.

Now that is true love.