Grandma and Poppy | Grandparents Photoshoot | Layton Commons Park

It was 2001 and Jessie awoke to a knocking on the bedroom door. It was still dark outside and the crickets were chirping on that brisk November morning. Jessie’s grandma peeked into the room and said it was time to get up. The only thing that motivated 12 year old Jessie enough to crawl out of her warm bed was the thought of going shopping on Black Friday with her mom and grandma. It was her mom and grandma’s yearly tradition and she was finally old enough to join the fun! The three of them got ready, threw on their matching Christmas sweaters, coats, gloves, and hats, and drove to their nearest Fred Meyer. What in the world would they be doing at Fred Meyer of all places on Black Friday you may ask? Well, they arrived early enough to join the endless line of people outside the store, waiting for the doors to open for the annual Black Friday sock sale!! Yes, all of that sacrifice and just for some socks. To 12 year old Jessie, the upside was that they at least gave out hot chocolate once inside. Flash forward to September 2018. For the two of us, the chance to do a grandparents photoshoot for Jessie’s grandparents was extremely exciting!

Anyone who’s lucky enough to have grandparents alive at the same time they are knows how big of an impact they make on their life. Jessie’s grandparents are no different. In fact, they exceed the typical grandparent standards! Jessie’s grandma and grandpa are known to her family adoringly as Grandma and Poppy. We were so excited when they agreed to do a grandparents photoshoot with us!

While we were taking pictures with them, we really saw their relationship with each other play out. They care for each other, but are also so funny! What’s hilarious is that those two adjectives fit each of them perfectly. Jessie’s Grandma is the nicest person you will meet in your entire life. She’s loving and caring and will do anything to help someone. While the first time you meet Poppy you may think he is serious and studious based on the formal attire of a white collared shirt that he is rarely seen without, he’s also quite the comedian. He can often be found rolling on the floor playing with grandkids, pulling funny faces, cracking jokes, or singing his famous “beee-beee” song. Trust us, you’d have to hear it to fully understand! The two of them are the perfect combination and they love spending time with family and traveling the world any chance they get.

It’s these qualities and attributes that have taught both of us so many lessons. For one thing, they have taught us the importance of hard work. Poppy was a university chemistry professor for decades until retirement, while Jessie’s grandma stayed home to raise their family. Along with taking care of their six children, she also was always the first to volunteer for serving in organizations. She was in the PTA for as long as we can remember, and is now a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Daughters of Utah Pioneers (DUP). We have learned from Grandma how to love and to serve others. Anytime we are reluctant to do something, we try to remember and think about what Grandma and Poppy would do in our situation.

So here’s a serious and heartfelt thank you to Grandma and Poppy. We appreciate your support over all these years and all of the things that you have taught us. We love you both and are so glad we got to do a grandparents photoshoot with you!