Grandpa Glen

This past week has been a hard week. One of my very good friends past away. Yes Glen was 74 but his age never slowed down our friendship. Glen and his wife Jeanie always wondered what was wrong with me cuz I would much rather hang out with them than with the young kids. I met Glen and Jeanie on my first trail ride with the Monroe County Saddle Club. Glen amazed me with his talent with his hooks. If you never saw Glen's hooks sticking out from under his shirt you would have never even known that he had no arms. I was 12 and fascinated. I was nervous being around all these new ppl and new horses and mules that i clung by my dad. Glen had some power of attracting ppl toward him and within the first 20 mins i was his buddy thru the whole ride. From that day forward Glen was the man i rode with every Sunday. He was so much fun he always had the funniest jokes to tell. I wouldn't always get them right away. He never made fun of me he would wait a couple mins and see if I got it and if not he would explain it. That way I could really laugh at the joke not just laugh cuz everyone else was. lol Glen was my very 1st date and my parents let me go!! We went to the Albia Demolition Derby I really think it might have been one of my best dates ever!! I'm very glad that was my first. Most of my best riding memories are over in Harvey riding with Glen and Jeanie it was always a history lesson of Harvey and a history of Glen and Jeanie's lives. Their love for each other has made me believe love forever CAN happen. I know its going to with me and Tyler. Glen and Jeanie are the ones that have really shown me that it can happen. No matter what the circumstance was...... No matter what struggle was...... If Glen needed something......... If Jeanie needed something it was never a question the other one knew before the other one even had to say it. One story I always loved hearing from Jeanie was about the time she was in 3rd grade and she cut Glens picture out and told him she was going to marry him. That story always makes me smile cuz it reminds me so much of how Tyler and I are. When I was 14 was the very first time I ever met Tyler. I mean I had defiantly heard about him he had the fastest car in the surrounding towns. But the night I met him I was with my boyfriend at the time and when we left

Tyler called him and asked "Who was that girl with you?"

My Boyfriend: My Girlfriend! Why?

Tyler: Tell her she is beautiful.

I love this picture this is really the smiles they both always have on their faces.

From that day I always had my eye on Tyler Taft and he had his eyes on me. He once told me when i get old you will be sitting next to me. After that i kinda drifted away i really thought he was just using words to get what I thought he wanted. But he never stopped being a sweet heart no matter what... that's just how he was. I waited for almost 2 years for him to change and not be the sweet man I was falling wildly for. He still has not changed. Tyler reminds me a lot of Glen. Tyler is strong. Glen was the strongest man I know. Tyler is very intelligent and can fix anything. Glen was so smart in so many areas he knew and could fix EVERYTHING! Tyler is gentle and affectionate. Glen was so gentle he knew exactly how to use his hooks and make sure he never hurt my hand. Glen was also the kind of guy when you would dismount he would be there giving you a hug. I would always hold Glens 'hand' after riding at there house and we would walk into his little buildings and he would show me all his stuff and tell me every story about everything. I was never bored. Any other 12....13....14....15....16...17....18 year old would have been but Glen fascinated me. I knew i wanted to marry a man just like him. And I am. 'Well close' One of my favorite stories from Glen is I loved hearing about a story that involves a TIRE!!! I know right doesn't sound so interesting but that tire has been there since Glen and Jeanie were teens and they were going to use it as a fire ring but it rolled back down the hill and they left it. The story was much longer and much better when Glen told it. One weekend Glen, Jeanie, My dad, and Me all went to Shemik Forest and everything was thawing out and it was RAINING which means it was very muddy. But we went on this crazy ride where our mules were sliding everywhere!! We were heading back and started going in circles. I'm usually not the one to know my directions that was always Dad and Glens job. But for some reason I knew where we were and for some reason they believed me and we got back to camp. That weekend was so much fun. Some of my friends back at school asked if I didn't have reception and really I could in most places but I didn't need to talk to them I had 3 great friends there. After Glen and Jeanie My Mom and Dad and Me all got really close I always looked at Glen and Jeanie as my Grandparents. They always looked at me as their Granddaughter. I was very blessed to be able to meet these 2 ppl they have really showed me what love and life is about. Thank you so much! I love you guys. Just so everyone knows I am one of the most luckiest ppl in the whole world to have Grandparents like these 2. Jeanie will be my Honorary Grandmother at my wedding!!!! That's just a little bit of what Glen was. I couldn't even sum up what Glen was or what he meant to me. But if you got to be fortunate enough to have anytime spent with this man you have been touched. I know it no one could have met him and forgotten. Grandpa Glen you will always been in my heart. I know you will be watching me getting married. I know you will be dancing among us. You will always be watching us I love you.