Jeff had always had a close relationship with Uncle Matt. They spent a lot of time together and he taught Jeff all about trees, nature and animals. He remembers Uncle Matt coming each spring from his winter in California to their house. He would tinker around their house and help with various projects. They always enjoyed pizza at Little Italy in Fremont.
As Jeff and I dated, Jeff would drive me past the house we live in now. He would always tell me that someday he wanted to live in this house- then Uncle Matt's rental property. Fast forward some years, a marriage and a curly headed daughter... Uncle Matt offered to sell us this house. He also helped us the first time home buyers finance our house, too. He never once held it over our heads.
He really enjoyed having the curly headed great great niece Shelby living next door. In his late 80s he would trudge over in the snow and take Shelby sledding. He loved showing her how to count money and kept a few toys at his house so she could play.
As we remodeled the house, Uncle Matt was always stopping by to help us. I remember he would come by in the heat of the afternoon in August to pull nails out of old boards pulled off the roof. He did this so we wouldn't waste any room in our dumpster. He was able to pack that dumpster solidly without wasting an inch and saved us from getting several dumpsters. He never complained and would always show up when he saw us working outdoors. He was always trying to help and frequently we would have to chase the then almost 90 year old partially blind man off the ladder when the second story was added.
Over some time, we started to notice that Uncle Matt just wasn't himself. He had had to give up driving a few years before and now he was forgetting a lot of things - well actually coming up with some great stories like the raccoons rebuilding the chimney... He then started to have to spend some time in the hospital and we needed to help Jeff's mom give more care to him at home. One night after we had helped take care of him, I walked home with Jeff. Sadly, Jeff and I both knew that he was fading away. I shared with Jeff that I didn't know if Uncle Matt really believed in God or not. I was really sad about this and unsure of what to do at this time in his life.
It must have been a day or two later and we were with him again - Matt grabbed my hand and told me "I want you to know Kelly, I pray for you and my family everyday in the way my namesake told me". I was floored. Uncle Matt was not touchy feely at all and I had probably only touched him when he hugged me at our wedding and he had never even mentioned his spiritual side ever. He would later go on that night to tell us about the "angels" that we're taking care of him- I first thought he might mean us but it was starting to get me wondering. And who was this namesake??
Uncle Matt passed away later that year. We had to clean out his apartment and go through his things. This is when we found some amazing letters to fill in the gaps. In his letters, he spoke of how our family property originated, of the trees he planted, his time in the Army and why he chose the life he did.
Turns out Uncle Matt was given a Gideon Bible during WWII and this is where he read the book of his "namesake" Matthew. It was from his reading in Matthew, he learned to pray in secret behind closed doors for his family. It was on his daily walks around the pond to view all the animals, that his prayers centered on his family. In his letters, he also shared that he had been married once and his wife hurt him badly, hence they later divorced. It was from then on he centered his whole life on taking care of his family because he knew he would never wanted to marry again.
This is why he travelled the US visiting all his family members to help wherever and whenever he was needed. He decided he would live simply and provide financially for family members when needed. As we went though his belongings, he really didn't own much at all - some second hand clothes, birding books, binoculars and a bowling ball. As we continued to go through his papers, we were amazed at all the people who had been helped by Uncle Matt and we never ever knew. We only had a small glimpse of the man who really knew what it was like to have such a big heart for others.
We are where we are at for many reasons in part to Uncle Matt. We were able afford our house and I could become a stay at home mom, as I had wanted to do and still enjoy today. My kids get to grow up right next door to most of their family and attend a great school district. We have also certainly been a family well prayed for over the years, too.
During the winter that we started the adoption process snow was lightly falling and I worked outside picking up tree branches - I just had this really warm feeling wash over me. I can't really explain it, but I was thinking of our new-hope-to-be son. It kind of felt like God tapping me on the shoulder - his name should be Matthew. I never felt so confident and sure about something. I went inside and looked up the meaning of Matthew - "gift of God", nothing better describes him! Later on, as Jeff and I shared our hopes for our new son, it was fun to inform him that he already had a name. How could ever disagree?
Uncle Matt passed away later that year. We had to clean out his apartment and go through his things. This is when we found some amazing letters to fill in the gaps. In his letters, he spoke of how our family property originated, of the trees he planted, his time in the Army and why he chose the life he did.
Turns out Uncle Matt was given a Gideon Bible during WWII and this is where he read the book of his "namesake" Matthew. It was from his reading in Matthew, he learned to pray in secret behind closed doors for his family. It was on his daily walks around the pond to view all the animals, that his prayers centered on his family. In his letters, he also shared that he had been married once and his wife hurt him badly, hence they later divorced. It was from then on he centered his whole life on taking care of his family because he knew he would never wanted to marry again.
This is why he travelled the US visiting all his family members to help wherever and whenever he was needed. He decided he would live simply and provide financially for family members when needed. As we went though his belongings, he really didn't own much at all - some second hand clothes, birding books, binoculars and a bowling ball. As we continued to go through his papers, we were amazed at all the people who had been helped by Uncle Matt and we never ever knew. We only had a small glimpse of the man who really knew what it was like to have such a big heart for others.
We are where we are at for many reasons in part to Uncle Matt. We were able afford our house and I could become a stay at home mom, as I had wanted to do and still enjoy today. My kids get to grow up right next door to most of their family and attend a great school district. We have also certainly been a family well prayed for over the years, too.
During the winter that we started the adoption process snow was lightly falling and I worked outside picking up tree branches - I just had this really warm feeling wash over me. I can't really explain it, but I was thinking of our new-hope-to-be son. It kind of felt like God tapping me on the shoulder - his name should be Matthew. I never felt so confident and sure about something. I went inside and looked up the meaning of Matthew - "gift of God", nothing better describes him! Later on, as Jeff and I shared our hopes for our new son, it was fun to inform him that he already had a name. How could ever disagree?
