Carl James Edgell I

It would be a lie to say I miss him more during this time of year. Football Season, that is.

Because I miss him in the Spring when he would take my siblings and myself out to do some manual labor out in some field just to “help you grow big and strong like me”, or was it to give Mom some much deserved time alone? He would pull all the grapes off the vine for us and leave them in a bowl in the fridge. Mom said we were lucky. I couldn’t agree more.

In the summer, when he would pull up in the diesel (you could hear him rounding the corner and we knew to run outside. Much like Pavlov’s dogs) and tell one or all of us kids to get dressed we are going with him to… it would be heaven. We usually spent the day with him helping make deliveries in the truck out in Shawnee. (He drove Beaver Express)

In the fall you could always count on a football game being on at his house. This meant Fritos, bean dip from a can and sodas from glass bottles for us kids. He had a fridge in the garage FULL of sodas, power or Gatorades and waters for those inclined to be healthy. The freezer had popsicles and ice creams. Man I miss that fridge. He went to every home game and all the away games he could when I played football. That meant JV and Varsity games(that’s 2 games a week).

Winter was the best because no matter what he did that day or where he was or wasn’t he smelled like an open fire. Once we were on Christmas break he would stop by in the mornings on his way to work and ask if any of us wanted to come along or just to pop in and say hello. He would also stop on his way home just to tell us one of the funny things that happened that day. For Christmas breakfast he would make us ALL eggs. To order! Like a short order cook! It was the best. If you asked for 2 eggs he’d give you 3 and tell you to come back for seconds before he walked away from the griddle.

But there is SO MUCH MORE to miss. Like when he would randomly stop by and help Mom make biscuits and gravy. Not that she ever needed help, but somehow it tasted even better when he stirred it. How he always kept chocolates and peanuts and cashews by his recliner or in the truck. He ALWAYS had a handkerchief. I never knew someone so willing to give so many grandkids a bit of whatever he had. If ever, actually, whenever something would happen, like almost a car accident, or something heavy fell out of his hands or something caught fire he would say a choice word and I can’t help but laugh because is the same thing my Mom does and I do as well. It truly will be my dying word.  

I do miss him more when I am pregnant. I used to think it was because I felt so sorry for the babe inside who wouldn’t get to know him here on earth. But I have realized (I realized it back with TC but these past two times it stands just as true) it’s because of how close to the Spirit I am.  More like how close to the Veil my baby is. These are the greatest memories that I will always cherish and forever be grateful to my parents for moving us out here to have.

When I am gone I hope there are still people who cry when they think about the wonderful memories I made with them like I do with Granddad. I cry because the memories are great and I have big shoes to fill, but he told me how.

“Finish your eggs it’ll make you grow up big and strong like me”

“Want a drink? You’ll grow up big and strong like me?”

“Two more rows of bricks. It’ll make you grow up big and strong like me”

It’s all in hard work, eating well and being happy and willing to serve our Heavenly Father.

My son Trae Carl looks just like an Edgell. And I couldn’t be happier! I would love it if Mack Kenneth ended up looking like a Wareham because that would make them look at least like cousins. But even better like the Granddad and Grandpa they were named after.

xo,

Kellee