Dallin loved Grandma and learned quickly where to find the treats! Grandma loved Dallin and his cute smile that would pop in and ask for more goodies!
Grandpa Jensen with Avery & Grandma Birks, ready for church!
Grandma playing peek-a-boo with my Avery! So cute!!
Grandma wanted Jaren to check her dentures that were bothering her. She told Jaren she wanted to visit Las Vegas and see his new office and have him be her dentist! Jaren said I only treat kids but I will always be your dentist especially if you have no teeth! That's an easy case he joked! The kids were often fascinated with Grandma taking her teeth out to scare the kids.
Grandma's 5 children and their spouses: Cleave & *Sue, *Dell & Julie, *Rod & Liz, *Jay & Sherri, Ina & *Tom.
Vivian, Britney, Clara, and Grandma at her apartment in Sandy, UT. We loved to visit her and eat her candy, and I would raid her yarn bins!
November 2010 at Jared Jensen's football game with Grandma who loves to watch ball.
Avery sharing a sucker next to Grandma Birks of course!!!
Jaren tells me of so many fun memories he has with his Grandma who use to let him spend a week here and there at her place. He said they would travel in her camper and go to fun places. Grandma loved Jaren and always let him sneak way too much candy from the cupboard. He said he had a lot of great summers at her place.
Grandma was very independent but the last 2 1/2 years her health was failing and she was on dialyses and oxygen and needed help. My sweet mother-in-law Liz Jensen cared for her with much service, selflessness, and diligence. Rod and Liz took her to her Dr. appointments, family events, and much more. Liz cooked for her and did all that was necessary to help her be comfortable and happy in her last years, which was no easy task because of Grandma's stubborn ways, and not wanting to take her pills or follow the doctors orders. I know how much Grandma Birks appreciated Liz because she told me several times that she didn't want to be alone anymore, and that she enjoyed being at their home and in the company of all her family. Grandma had a rich posterity! This is us with her in July of 2011. Dallin, Britney, Jaren, Grandma, Avery, Rod, Vivian, Clara, & Liz.
Grandma Emma Birks didn't always have an easy life. She was married to Lynn her sweet heart who died at a very young age in a car accident leaving her with three small boys and one boy on the way! I asked her in amazement, "How did you ever go on and deal with that tragedy?" She told me what was I supposed to do, what else could I do but go on and work hard to care and provide for my boys! She said to me how do you tell a small boy his daddy isn't coming home? How do you tell him he's up in heaven with Heavenly Father? And how could I cry when my small boys looked to me for comfort and strength. Later she gave birth to her fourth boy and she told me that she sobbed and sobbed in the hospital finally letting all of her grief out until the doctor came and checked her out saying you're crying too much, get back to your family and get busy! I personally couldn't have had this strength.
Later she went on to work nights to provide and was at home during the day with her kids. She went to all their events and supported all that they did. Later she married Othie Young and had her girl Sue. She had a hard life with Othie because he was not a good person, and he drank. Finally, she divorced him and married Howard Birks who Jaren knew as his Grandpa. Jaren tells me he was kind and good. Together Grandma Emma and Howard served missions together. Grandma has 5 children, 32 grandchildren, and 93 great grandchildren with 3 more on the way that I know of!
Grandma loved to do family history, read (romance novels), and crochet! I cherish this talent she has to crochet because when I first got married to Jaren over 10 years ago, she made us a beautiful maroon and white crocheted quilt that I still love and use. I saw her working on the last few squares at just before my reception and I really admired the work and thought that went into her sweet gift. I had wanted to learn how to crochet and I knew this would be my opportunity. When she taught me we started out with a single crochet and stitched a long line. She wanted me to practice my consistency and get each stitch even. She'd have me pull it out and redo it until the skill was mastered. After that came a simple square pattern that included double crochet, and slip stitches. I worked hard and finally constructed a nice granny square...so I thought! I showed Grandma in excitement and she said, "let me see that". I gave it to her and she pulled the whole square out without notice. WHAT! that took me a long time and I was quite pleased with it. She said the stitches are uneven and nobody wants an ugly blanket so try again. And so I did! With the next square I completed she said let me see that, and I said NO WAY it's good enough for me and I'm not going to let you pull it out. She laughed and I have been crocheting baby blankets ever since!
We will miss our sweet Grandma but we know she is with our Heavenly Father, and loved ones again! She left us with many great memories and her testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ, the importance of hard work, and diligence in the things you believe in. We love you!
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