"Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records, they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to you, each other, your children, your grand-children and others throughout the generations. Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events." --President Spencer W. Kimball

March 29, 2010

Beautiful Hands


You can tell a lot about a person by looking at their hands.... I especially love looking at elderly hands, with all the wrinkles, all the scars, the crooked fingers from years and years of hard-work, faith & love.  Ma's hands speak volumes of the type of life she led... her wrinkles show the 87 years she's been on this earth.  The scars, she's got a story for each of them.... her index finger on her left had won't bend...it's been like that since she was 24 years old.  She was at the beach in Tonga with her new baby, she was fishing, getting food for dinner...she slipped and fell in the water and sliced her hand on a sharp rock.  The rock cut the middle of her hand and damaged the nerve that's connected to her pointer finger....she hasn't been able to bend it since.  Her middle fingers on both hands are crooked at the joints, that is from years of arthritis from working so hard to provide for her family.  Her hands are old and wrinkled and worn.  Her hands are so beautiful.  Her hands held and cared for her nine children.  Her hands held and cared for all her grandchildren.  Her hands held and cared for all her great-grandchildren.  Her hands trembled and shook as she held her husband's hand when he passed away almost 30 years ago.  Her hands have sewn.  Her hands have cooked and baked.  Her hands have disciplined and scolded.  Her hands have calmed and reassured.  Her hands are full of love.  When you're around Ma, you can't help but notice her beautiful hands.  I love her hands!  Her hands are old and frail, but everyday they pick up the scriptures and read.  Everyday they hug my boys Makai and Filimone.  Everyday they hold their namesake, my little princess Ilaisaane Lautala.  Everyday they bless my life, my husband's life, my children's life.  I love Grandma's hands.

At the doctors office before I gave birth to Lautala, I noticed little baby's hands and feet casted in stone covered with a beautiful glass dome.  There was a little brochure next to it with pictures of the different types of things that could be casted in stone.  There was a picture of old hands.  I immediatly thought of Ma's beautiful hands.  I showed the brochure to Ova, and without even saying anything, we were both thinking the same thing.  We needed to do Ma's beautiful hands.  It took us a while to finally do it, partly because I gave birth, and partly because she's been sick...but we finally did it and it turned out AMAZING!  It captured every little detail from her pointer finger, to her crooked joints, to her wrinkles and her veins.  They are beautiful!  It is a priceless gift that will bring back memories for years and years after she is gone.  We decided to give it to Tea, because she's the one that has been taking care of Ma her whole life since Pa died.  She cried uncontrollably when she saw them.  We all cried.  What beautiful beautiful hands Ma has...and now we'll have them forever!

11 comments:

Kassie said...

Absolutely LOVE this post. It made me cry. Thank you for sharing. Let me know if you want to get Ma's hands done again and my Mom can do them. :) We've done all the babies when they are 1 month old, but I love this. Your words were as perfect as her beautiful hands..

F-A-N-G-U-P-O said...

Thanks Kass! Your mom does this? That is so awesome....and I totally want to get more of Ma's hands done. We had hoped to get one for each of the kids that live here, but it's a little pricey! How much does your mom charge? I'd never heard of this before I saw that brochure...but this is truly the gift that lasts forever! Thanks Kass....love ya!

IONGI FAMILY said...

Could not have been said any better. I love your blog Mon!!! Very cool to have

Heather and Kevin said...

ok wow..I totally agree. It was a beautiful post. I cried too. The crazy thing is I haven't even met you or your family, but from the words you wrote I can tell she is truly an amazing women. Wow how many of us will have that much of an impact on those around us?

Siu said...

What a great idea Mon! Love the post.

Anonymous said...

Love this post Monica! :) Hope you and your beautiful family are doing well! We'll have to catch up soon! :)

Tina Tuakoi said...

Love this post! She sounds like a wonderful person! I saw her at the baptism this past weekend with your boys, and she is a beautiful woman. Your boys are getting so big, and growing more and more handsome. :)

pwincessdi said...

so sweet Monica. I have always wanted to do this for my kids...so Kass send me the info :) what a tribute to your grama...i think you should print this post and frame this along or next to your gramas hands!

Melissa Snyder said...

Those are beautiful. I did the same thing with our daughter after she passed away. Now you can take them wherever you go and they will be with you. What a sweet and precious item to have with you. I love all the details. Makes them feel so real.
I guard my daughters hands with my life. If anything ever happens to our house or anything else, that is all I want saved besides my children.

Ane said...

I wish we had done this for our grandma before she passed. What a cute way to cherish a family member...now I need to do this for my dad! Love it!

Dasl*it Photography said...

man I love this post Monica.. How beautiful.. I so regret not doing this to my mothers hands, she did so much for me.. Now Im crying.. Love it..