Valentine's Day

Life has been a daze... a rollercoaster of emotion and an interesting beginning to 2007. To begin with, today is Valentine's Day; a day dedicated to love, celebrating one of our more practiced and treasured gifts from God. This particular Valentine's Day I want to share with you an example of love that for as long as I can remember, I've admired. A story that I've heard bits and pieces of my entire life, yet, only heard to completion about 3 months ago, and i'd like to share it with you:
Back in 1937, a handsome young man named Francis, went out to make some money and found a job on a farm in Daysland, Alberta. On this farm he happened to meet one of the farmers six sisters, Laurette... sparing some unnecessary details, they ended up falling in love. On November 28th, 1939, they were married and moved to an acreage north of Stony Plain in a hamlet called Calahoo. Soon afer they married, they began a family, and over the following 20 years, their family grew to consist of themselves, 5 daughters and 2 sons... and just as their family grew, so did their love for each other. To prove their romance was never outgrown, in their 65th year of marriage, Francis decided to surprise Laurette with a new set of wedding bands to replace the simple gold band he bought for her in 1939. They were a match made in heaven; where Francis was, so was Laurette. They were known by their community as God fearing, kind, considerate and loving people; some would later say that they provided an excellent example of what marriage is intended to look like from a Biblical perspective. Family was always a priority for them, and as they and their kids grew older, more were added to the family via marriages, as well as the birth of grandchildren... lots of grandchildren. 18 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren to be exact! Being one of the multitude, I witnessed first hand the love shared between the two, and never failed to feel the love that they had for me. A lot of my childhood memories came from spending time at their house; and I will never forget the smells of fresh bread, the laughs that were had, the games of cards and chickenfoot, even the sound of coffee brewing just before a late night "supper"... Even thinking of these things brings a smile to my face, and a warm feeling in my heart.
When my grandma became ill last fall, my grandpa stayed by her side, prayed for her, and stayed strong for the family. Before she passed away on November 14th, he moved in with one of my Aunt's and continued to stay strong. Even after she passed away, to everyone who asked, "how are you doing?" he'd reply "I'm okay!" Shortly after Christmas, he took a fall and was taken to the hospital; this was just the beginning of a series of health problems that would soon follow. Not even a full three months after Laurette's death, Francis Kramps died on February 9th, and I'm positive it was due to a broken, yet faithful heart, knowing they would soon meet again in the presence of our King.
My grandfathers funeral was this morning. And although some might think, "what a horrible day for a funeral". I've come to the conclusion that there could not have been a more fitting day to conclude and remember the lives of two people who have shared their lives together, in love.