Anton Without The E

To think that my baby boy, born on this day 23 years ago, is getting married in June 2016! I will never forget him looking up at me immediately after he was born. I knew his face, because I looked just like him at birth. His tiny blue eyes seemed to recognize me right away. And I was in love. This tiny grubas (as his Great-Grandma Jar called him - I think it meant chubby baby) was a sweet little one, pretty much attached to my hip through infancy. He was named for a man his Daddy considers to be the greatest man he's ever known: Grandpa Anton Zimanek. Athough he's had several nicknames through his life, including One Sock Off and Reggie when he was younger, Little Man, Tone, Toners, Kirby, Little Face and Antush. Anton's love for sports was developed pretty early, as by age 3 he was collecting football figurines and could name any NFL team (Buc-o-ears). If he wasn't watching or playing sports throughout grade school, he was playing with Legos or video games (luckily, each year Madden NFL comes out just days before his birthday making it a perfect gift).

Tone was a pretty smart student. In kindergarten there was a contest to read the most number of books to win a prize. He won, getting an alarm clock which he used through high school. I remember his teacher at parent teacher conferences saying "What do you say about the boy who reads 50 books over the summer?" Tone always needed more formidable classes in school since he was such a quick learner. I remember asking him in second grade, "Learn anything new today?" to which he responded. "Nope, I'm teaching the other kids." This was when I went into the teacher and principal to get him a more challenging work load. He won the Presidential Fitness Award two years on a row and loves volleyball and tennis. Since school work came pretty easily to him, he wasn't a huge studier, but his grades were always excellent. He sped through math courses especially to the point where in middle school he was bussed to the high school to take algebra. It's because of this very thing that Anton met his fiance Kayla.

When we moved to Prattville, we were told by guidance counselors that any classes taken in middle school could not count for graduation. Since Anton had algebra in 8th grade, he had to retake it in high school. This was where he met Kayla, so God has quite a sense of humor, cause I remember Anton being pretty frustrated that he had to retake this class. Not so frustrated about that anymore!

A full academic scholarship in college paired with various part-time jobs (resident assistant for three years along with working with sports information) and honors classes kept Anton pretty busy. He was selected as the top student in the Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management School his graduating year. We are excited to see where the Lord leads him for his future.

Our son is driven, a perfectionist, handsome, loves to work with youth, is technologically quick, athletic and honorable. I have never heard him ever utter a cuss word and he rarely gets angry. He loves the Lord and is head over heels for his fiance, Kayla. And the heart this boy has is a big one. At his engagement party recently, Kayla's parents made sure to have Anton's favorite beer on hand. When asked why he wasn't drinking it, Anton commented that he didn't want to set a bad example for any of the youth who were there. Anton, we thank God you came into our lives. You completed our little family perfectly and have brought so much laughter and fun into our lives! Happy Blessed Birthday!

Discussion: Share an Anton memory.

Prayer: Lord we thank you for the life of Anton and pray you keep him tenderly in your care. We ask that you watch out for his future and bless him in adventures ahead and his marriage to Kayla. We ask this in Jesus, Amen.

22!

 You know how much Daddy loves the number 22. Today's date is pretty much the reason for that. Feb. 22 is Great Grandpa Anton Zimanek's birthday. Today he would have been 101 years old. Daddy didn't just like 22 because it was his grandfather's birthday, although that would have been enough. He also liked it because Great-Grandpa Anton shot a .22. "It was the first gun I shot," Daddy says. From childhood on, your Daddy would always choose #22 for his jersey in baseball, basketball and football when he would play. It was a tribute to this man who your father respected more than any other man ... and deservedly so.

Grandpa was a pretty cool guy. What your Daddy said he felt from his Grandpa was unconditional love. "I felt it from him immediately. Don't get me wrong, he was strict. You worked hard when you were with him, but I loved it, cause it was fun. I would do anything with him," he said. He explains that one of the best days of his life was when he was 6 years old and had worked all day with Grandpa grinding corn, collecting eggs, feeding the cows and picking apples. Grandpa then took him to Mary Nelson's country store and gave him a dollar, where your Daddy bought the 1971 NFL preseason magazine with John Brodie, quarterback for the 49ers, on the cover. "I still have it," Daddy says. "It signifies hard work and love."

I asked your Daddy what he learned about marriage from his Grandpa. He said Grandma and Grandpa held hands all the time and kissed a lot. "They were never afraid of public displays of affection," he says. Great Grandpa always thought his wife was his beautiful bride. "This is even after 60+ years of marriage," Daddy says. "You can't make that up. You felt it when you were with him. I mean, they fought, yeah, but he would do anything for her." When they did fight, Grandpa would go take a walk saying he didn't want to say anything he'd later regret. I remember how precious they were together. Lot's of giggling between them.

Brad said a year before Grandpa died, they were sitting under a tree on a hill overlooking the Big Rock when he said to your Daddy, "Have sex as often as you can, because there will come a day when you can't and you wish you could." I personally remember him talking about Grandma's "fluffy pillows" when referring to her, ahem, chest.

Of course the first thing we always think about Grandpa is him singing "How Great Thou Art." He sang it every day with his dog Scottie as they walked a trail on his Sobieski, WI property. And I'm pretty sure both Ayla and Anton remember hearing him sing it. Your Daddy still tears up when he sings it. Great Grandpa loved the Lord. Your Daddy says he remembers seeing Grandpa get excited on Easter morning about going to worship the Risen Christ.

Your Daddy thought enough of Great Grandpa to name our son after him. It is the highest honor we could pay him and honestly a perfect namesake as one to emulate for Anton.

So Grandpa's marriage advice ... show love often, have fun, love passionately, work hard, take care of each other and love your Lord. We look forward to visiting in Heaven with him and Grandma one day to play a game of pinochle. Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Discussion: What do you remember about Great Grandpa Anton? Of his advice, what is something you would want to apply to your marriage?

Prayer: We thank you, Lord, for the life of Anthony "Anton" Walter Zimanek, Sr. He loved you, Lord, and set an example to follow in worship of you. We thank you for all our journey's in life and the lives that intersect with ours. In Jesus, Amen.