Journal entry by Linda Strandlund —
Merry Christmas to you from the Strandlund Family.
Carrie and Brock, Emily and Mike, Rachel, Maja, Mac, Ty, Addison, Gracelyn, Levi, Zachary, Joseph, and Great-Grandma Nellie (my mom) came today to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
We had a wonderful day, all of us trying hard to celebrate the way we know Rob would want us to celebrate. The kids (young and old) checked their stockings to see what Santa brought them. Only Brock got a lump of coal this year...he got some other treasures, too, so I guess he was pretty good with just a hint of naughty. We had a wonderful Scandinavian smorgasbord (Rob would have loved it). We gathered round to sing Christmas carols. Brock read the Christmas story, Maja and Mac read a beautiful prayer that they wrote, and we opened presents. Youngest to oldest for the grandkids; oldest to youngest for the adults.
One by one they left for their homes. Carrie and Brock were the last ones out the door. Carrie had a hard time leaving. She didn't want to leave me alone. After all of the activity, it's really quiet when they all leave. That's when it is hard for me. I think back to past years. After each celebration, Rob and I would sit and visit, laughing at the antics of the grandkids and our 3 daughters. Yes, Rob's girls are pretty spunky and make every gathering a lot of fun. So here I sit in the quiet, thinking it is time to give an update on how we are all doing.
It has been six months since our last post, eight months since Rob entered Glory! What a day of celebration he is having with our Lord.
The following is a selection from our Christmas Card, 2019.
In August we took a family vacation to the North Shore. We stayed at Bluefin Bay in Tofte. Rob and I stayed there a couple of years ago, and he wanted the girls to go there sometime. I decided this would be the year. Rob would have loved being there with us. He wasn't there physically, but he was there in our memories. We would think of him while sitting on the rocks and looking at the majesty of Lake Superior; while we were walking along the paths at the resort; while eating breakfast at Naniboujou (a beautiful restaurant on Lake Superior, close to the Canadian border) and spending hours on the beach after breakfast throwing rocks into the Lake; while driving to and spending time at Sawbill Lake. Rob's Girls and the kids took the drive to Sawbill (a favorite vacation spot) while Brock and Mike golfed at Superior National Golf Course. We sat by the Lake and enjoyed the view that we enjoyed with Rob for so many years. We walked to the store and we all had ice cream - Rob's favorite! A walk around the campground took us down memory lane - we have such fond memories of camping there. The kids remembered the fun they had there the summer before. It was wonderful.
We all miss Rob so much. He was at the center of everything in our family. He made life so much fun. He always had a smile on his face. He was our spiritual leader. He was always willing to help anyone who needed help. He loved to sit with me on the swing after a long day at work. He loved to wander around the yard. His cheerful whistle is missed by anyone who ever spent time with him. As much as we miss him, we know that he is enjoying being with our Savior. We smile when we think of him "scoping out he best spots" in heaven so he can show us around when we get there! One of our grandsons said he wants to see Grandpa again. I told him that he could, he just needs to ask Jesus into his heart. When we have Jesus in our heart, we know that someday we, too, will be in heaven. We'll see Jesus, and then we'll see Grandpa Robbie waiting to welcome us!
As hard as this first Christmas without Rob was, we enjoyed celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Love,
Linda and Rob's girls
Carrie and Brock, Emily and Mike, Rachel, Maja, Mac, Ty, Addison, Gracelyn, Levi, Zachary, Joseph, and Great-Grandma Nellie (my mom) came today to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
We had a wonderful day, all of us trying hard to celebrate the way we know Rob would want us to celebrate. The kids (young and old) checked their stockings to see what Santa brought them. Only Brock got a lump of coal this year...he got some other treasures, too, so I guess he was pretty good with just a hint of naughty. We had a wonderful Scandinavian smorgasbord (Rob would have loved it). We gathered round to sing Christmas carols. Brock read the Christmas story, Maja and Mac read a beautiful prayer that they wrote, and we opened presents. Youngest to oldest for the grandkids; oldest to youngest for the adults.
One by one they left for their homes. Carrie and Brock were the last ones out the door. Carrie had a hard time leaving. She didn't want to leave me alone. After all of the activity, it's really quiet when they all leave. That's when it is hard for me. I think back to past years. After each celebration, Rob and I would sit and visit, laughing at the antics of the grandkids and our 3 daughters. Yes, Rob's girls are pretty spunky and make every gathering a lot of fun. So here I sit in the quiet, thinking it is time to give an update on how we are all doing.
It has been six months since our last post, eight months since Rob entered Glory! What a day of celebration he is having with our Lord.
The following is a selection from our Christmas Card, 2019.
In August we took a family vacation to the North Shore. We stayed at Bluefin Bay in Tofte. Rob and I stayed there a couple of years ago, and he wanted the girls to go there sometime. I decided this would be the year. Rob would have loved being there with us. He wasn't there physically, but he was there in our memories. We would think of him while sitting on the rocks and looking at the majesty of Lake Superior; while we were walking along the paths at the resort; while eating breakfast at Naniboujou (a beautiful restaurant on Lake Superior, close to the Canadian border) and spending hours on the beach after breakfast throwing rocks into the Lake; while driving to and spending time at Sawbill Lake. Rob's Girls and the kids took the drive to Sawbill (a favorite vacation spot) while Brock and Mike golfed at Superior National Golf Course. We sat by the Lake and enjoyed the view that we enjoyed with Rob for so many years. We walked to the store and we all had ice cream - Rob's favorite! A walk around the campground took us down memory lane - we have such fond memories of camping there. The kids remembered the fun they had there the summer before. It was wonderful.
We all miss Rob so much. He was at the center of everything in our family. He made life so much fun. He always had a smile on his face. He was our spiritual leader. He was always willing to help anyone who needed help. He loved to sit with me on the swing after a long day at work. He loved to wander around the yard. His cheerful whistle is missed by anyone who ever spent time with him. As much as we miss him, we know that he is enjoying being with our Savior. We smile when we think of him "scoping out he best spots" in heaven so he can show us around when we get there! One of our grandsons said he wants to see Grandpa again. I told him that he could, he just needs to ask Jesus into his heart. When we have Jesus in our heart, we know that someday we, too, will be in heaven. We'll see Jesus, and then we'll see Grandpa Robbie waiting to welcome us!
As hard as this first Christmas without Rob was, we enjoyed celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Love,
Linda and Rob's girls
-
Happy Birthday to Jesus!
Brock, Mac, Maja, Carrie, Ty
Mike, Emily, Gracelyn, Addison
Levi, Zachary, Rachel, Joey
Maja and Mac...a beautiful prayer.Patients and caregivers love hearing from you; add a comment to show your support.Help Rob Stay Connected to Family and FriendsA $25 donation to CaringBridge powers a site like Rob's for two weeks. Will you make a gift to help ensure that this site stays online for them and for you?
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