I'm not sure how to even start this. I find myself weepy more than two weeks after the fact, as I look through pictures and think about what I want to write.
Cory's grandfather passed away on the 9
th of August. He was more than a Grandpa. He was "OUR" grandpa! Cory could say it better than I, but truly, Grandpa
Hulse was his father figure.
He has some amazing stories of their time together. When Cory was born, Grandpa was having one of his many back surgeries. While still in the hospital, Cory was laid on Grandpa's chest. Sometime later, some Asian men walked past Grandpa and gawked at him. He said they started "
jabberin' away" and must have thought the baby belonged to him, and that anything was possible in America! Cory remembers coming home from school, where Grandpa would be waiting with a bowl of cottage cheese and pears, ready to listen to Paul Harvey.
My memories of this good man are more recent. As soon as Cory and I were "official" he was MY grandpa! I got into a car accident not long after we were married, and was pretty shaken up. I couldn't get a hold of Cory, so I called Grandpa. He and Grandma raced over in his white Nissan truck and ran (as fast as an old man with a bad back can) over to me. He hugged me and looked me over and made me feel so much better.
I remember when Emory was just a tiny baby, he would hold her forever.
Once, I'd needed to run some errands and stopped by their home, hoping Grandma could watch her. She was at the Temple, but Grandpa said he wanted to watch her; so I let him. I got back, and he tried to shoo me back out the door saying, "Go away! Think of something else to do, I'm not done watching her!"
And my most favorite memories (and I've only ever told Cory this) are when we'd go to their house for a visit, and as he'd shuffle past me in the hall, he'd give me a squeeze and whisper in my ear, "I love you so much!" Then he'd kiss me on the cheek, in his whiskery way. This wasn't a one time
occurrence, it happened
every time we were there! I'm so sad he's gone, but I'm glad he's not in pain anymore.
We were sad for the reason we went home to Utah (the funeral), but glad to be there to visit our families. I think Cory and I will agree that during this sad time, our greatest source of comfort was Emory. When we'd get teary eyed, she'd just say, "Don't be sad, he's with Heavenly Father! Just you wait, we'll see him again!"
There was a remembrance video at the funeral, but not a ton of the pictures on it showed the Grandpa I knew. He definitely had some grumpy faces, but that's never how I'll remember him.
I'll remember him as a
loving,
doting,
silly,
teasing,
and helpful man, who loved his family fiercely and was always ready to serve them, even if he grumbled about it a little!
She drew this not to long after our move. That's our family on the top, and Grandma and Grandpa Chris in Salt Lake on the left, Grandma and Grandpa Hulse in Logan on the right.
This is her falling off the bed at a friends house.
And not to be outdone, Tessa's hands and "writing" that she did all by herself!
One of my favorite things to do is sit down and play with my girls. It doesn't happen as often as I'd like, but when we first moved here we had no TV and no Internet hence, no distractions for Mom. For first Tea Party, they dressed me up so nicely. The second party, my true nature was revealed.
He has some amazing stories of their time together. When Cory was born, Grandpa was having one of his many back surgeries. While still in the hospital, Cory was laid on Grandpa's chest. Sometime later, some Asian men walked past Grandpa and gawked at him. He said they started "jabberin' away" and must have thought the baby belonged to him, and that anything was possible in America! Cory remembers coming home from school, where Grandpa would be waiting with a bowl of cottage cheese and pears, ready to listen to Paul Harvey. 
Once, I'd needed to run some errands and stopped by their home, hoping Grandma could watch her. She was at the Temple, but Grandpa said he wanted to watch her; so I let him. I got back, and he tried to shoo me back out the door saying, "Go away! Think of something else to do, I'm not done watching her!" 
And my most favorite memories (and I've only ever told Cory this) are when we'd go to their house for a visit, and as he'd shuffle past me in the hall, he'd give me a squeeze and whisper in my ear, "I love you so much!" Then he'd kiss me on the cheek, in his whiskery way. This wasn't a one time occurrence, it happened every time we were there! I'm so sad he's gone, but I'm glad he's not in pain anymore.
We were sad for the reason we went home to Utah (the funeral), but glad to be there to visit our families. I think Cory and I will agree that during this sad time, our greatest source of comfort was Emory. When we'd get teary eyed, she'd just say, "Don't be sad, he's with Heavenly Father! Just you wait, we'll see him again!"
I'll remember him as a 
loving,
doting,
silly,
teasing,
and helpful man, who loved his family fiercely and was always ready to serve them, even if he grumbled about it a little!
