Grandpa Harold's Graveside

A message to Stephanie from her cousins!

Grandma Charlotte!! "You're just a MOM!"

Many of us mothers have heard that comment when asked, "What do you do?" "Oh, you're just a mom." Centered in the middle with the hand made blue lace dress is my Grandma Charlotte Amelia Hansen Stout. She is the mother of ten children, five boys and five girls all of which ended up towering over her. From what I have learned about her is that she pretty much raised them on her own due to the fact that her husband, Lewis was always ill. They lived in poverty which caused her to grow her own food, sew their clothes from scraps of fabric she could find, such as flour sacks etc., scrape and save every little crumb or gum wrapper she could find. I know that she use to go to the Flour Mill, sweep the floors, sift the dirt out of the flour and use that flour to make bread for her family. At times, the family was even homeless. However, the woman I knew to be my Grandma was always cheerful, loving, grateful and happy! Her hard work and sacrifice for her family made her a hero in my mind and heart. She loved her family with a passion! Always proud of them and proud to be a mother!!

I believe my daughters who have had careers and motherhood would agree %100 that there is not a harder job in this life than raising children. It's an honorable and fulfilling job and should be praised and admired. So Grandma Charlotte, you were one amazing MOM!!! You have almost all ten of your children back. WOW!! I can hear her laughing now!!!

IN HONOR OF MY DAD, I WOULD LIKE TO PAY A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO HIS MOM!!