Proud To Have Been Her Friend...

Last week brought news that I have been dreading...the passing of my dear friend, Laurie.  She was diagnosed with cancer in early January and now, early March, she is gone. 

Laurie with her daughter's Meg and Dawn (on the left)

and her daughters-in law Seirra and Shannon (on the right)

I have never had a friend like Laurie.  Our friendship began with her coming to my rescue.  Back in June 1999 Tim was called to be the bishop of our ward and at the time I was expecting baby #6.  Abigail was totally attached to Tim and was perfectly content to be held by him each Sunday.  His call to be bishop meant that he would be sitting up on the stand and she would be with me sitting in the congregation and most Sundays that did not make her happy.  Jacob was 5 and more than a handful -- some things never change! :) So between Abigail and Jacob and my Sunday morning refereeing gig with young Tim, Andrew and Jordan, I needed rescuing. And rescue she did.  

It began with her asking if Jacob could sit with her just across the aisle from where I sat each week. Jacob was game for anything so there was no protest from him.  Once Annah arrived Laurie would offer to do whatever needed to be done whether it was to hold Annah so I could take an unhappy Abigail out of the meeting or if there was more trouble brewing she would sit with the kids while I took the uncooperative one or two out.  She was there to do whatever she was needed to do. 

Eventually Abigail became brave enough to cross the aisle and join Jacob with Laurie and her family where they would entertain the kids with quiet books and fascinating things that only other people could provide.  In time even shy Annah would have the right of passage and cross the aisle too. 

Somewhere amid her Sunday morning rescuing we became friends. I loved her for her giving heart and her wonderful ability to meet you where you were and love you in spite of yourself. I loved the way she always helped me to see beyond at the bigger picture.  I loved when she shared what she learned and her insight.  I cherish the times we went to the temple together.  I loved that she was my visiting teacher.  I loved that she knew all about me and loved me still the same.  Nothing I could tell her would make her think differently of me.  I am so thankful I had the opportunity to know her and to love her.  I am a better person for having done so.  

Today was Laurie's funeral.  It was a hard day but a good day.  A hard day because of the emotions that were unveiled by all who knew and loved her but a good day because she is not suffering any more.  And it was a good day for  all those that loved her to come together to celebrate her life. 

In the last weeks of her life Laurie said that there was nothing more that she could have wished for in her life.  She was satisfied with the full life she had lived.  I can attest to that fact.  The impact she had on so many lives can not be defined.  The love that she offered cannot be measured.  

I am not sad for Laurie, for I know where she now calls home and she is free from the earthly pain that she felt.  But I am sad for myself that I no longer have her here with me.  It is a selfish thing, I know.  I want her here.  I want to feel her arms around me and her voice declaring that she loves me and my voice declaring that I love her right back.

I will miss her but I look forward to seeing my friend again.  I know I will.  I know in whom I trust.  And I know in whom Laurie trusted and they are one in the same.  

"I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." Psalms 91:2

 

Laurie, Dawn and Meg

Till we meet again my sweet friend.  Thank you for sharing your life and your love.  I love you beyond words.

Lessons of Life....

Tonight we were reminiscing about a time we had gone out to eat as a family. 

During our meal the waitress came over and asked Jacob if he wanted more to drink. The cup had a lid on it and when Jacob replied that he would like some more soda the waitress said, 

"Would you take your top off?" 

Jacob said yes, removed the lid and handed it to her for a refill.

Andrew immediately leaned in toward Jacob and said,

"Jacob, when a girl asks you if you would take your top off, just say no!"  

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 

Years later we still laugh about that just as we still laugh about this picture....

 Mystic in her "orange helmet" young Tim made for her! 

Give More Life....

I am a blog reader.  I read the blogs of my friends and people I consider my friends although I have never met them.  The other day I read a blog post that captured my attention.  It came from Becoming Minimalist. The title of the post was 40 Ways to Give More Life.  I wanted to repost it on my blog because it spoke to my heart about what I want to strive for in my relationships with those around me.

"Of all the gifts that we could ever give to another person, none holds more potential than giving life itself. And I love the idea that every interaction I have with another human being offers me that grand opportunity.

It doesn’t matter if my next encounter is a short conversation, an email, a meal, or a 4-hour business meeting, it always offers me the same opportunity… to brighten another’s existence by breathing life into theirs.

Once correctly understood and applied, this simple, profound thought calls us to be more intentional, more thoughtful, and more persistent. It calls us to…

• Smile more.
• Hug more.
• Give more compliments.
• Write more love notes.
• Offer more forgiveness.
• Ask more follow-up questions.
• Show more interest.
• Have more compassion
• Talk to more children.
• Remember more names.
• Leave bigger tips.
• Use kinder words.
• Laugh at more jokes.
• Make more eye contact.
• Listen more intently.
• Give more time.
• Stop to catch-up longer.
• Promote others more often.
• Be more optimistic.
• Be more sympathetic.
• Be more patient.
• Celebrate more successes.
• Ask to pray more often.
• Dream bigger dreams for others.
• Cook more meals.
• Ask elders for more advice.
• Spend more time reminiscing with old friends.
• Donate more to charity.
• Remember more details.
• Sing more songs.
• Display more affection.
• Give more apologies.
• Focus less on differences.
• Invite more to come along.
• Read more books to your child.
• Offer to help more often.
• Trust more.
• Give more responsibility.
• Say more thank-you’s.

Give more life. Because there, you’ll find more for yourself as well."

"The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life."

~Job 33:4~

17 Years Ago Yesterday.....

February 21st brought a birthday to our home. 

The great and fabulous Jacob celebrated his 17th birthday. 

It is getting harder for me to believe that he has lived to see the day he is already 17! In honor of his big day I decided to share a few of my favorite pictures of Jacob. :)

   Jacob has always been

funny...

                                          And creative....

                                                     

This is one of my all time favs!

 And a lady's man....

(His one leggedness is especially attractive!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jacob!

I love you! I wrote it small as to not embarrass you! ;)

Winter Has Fled....

Winter seems to have fled from outside my window. I will miss it. I enjoy the cold and the snow and the memories that are created in the cold.

We had a lovely snow that was special ordered just for Tim and Lisa when they came in December.  Lisa is from Canada and now lives in Arizona so she doesn't see much snow anymore. We ordered snow just for her! 

Today it is 66 degrees. 

Yup, I think winter has officially fled. 

I will let it go but it has to promise to come back next year! :)

Happy Valenta's Day!

In our home we love February 14th.  It's the day of love named in our honor -- St. Valenta's Day.  We love that we can wish people a Happy Valenta's Day!

To celebrate the day I made 2 dinners -- meatloaf and mashed potatoes for Tim and I and heart shaped pizzas for the kids. (We all would have done pizza but Tim doesn't do pizza well anymore.  He needs so much milk to get it down that he fills up on milk and not food. I wanted him to have a dinner he liked and could get down without a lot of trouble so two dinners it was.) 

As treat for later I had made chocolate chip cookies and chocolate covered strawberries. The kids were soooo happy with all the goodies! 

Hope you had a Happy Valenta's Day too! 

Can You Hear Me Now?

Abigail says funny things.  The funniest thing is that most of the time she doesn't even realize it.  Sometimes what she says makes me roll my eyes (hmmmm...maybe that's where she gets it from!).  Sometimes it makes me take a slow deep breath.  Sometimes she makes me count to 53.  Sometimes she makes me laugh out loud....like the other morning.  

Abigail is not a morning person.  She doesn't like mornings.  If she had her way she wouldn't even do mornings....until there is something she is really wanting to do. :)  She had one of those mornings a few days ago.  She was up with only one wake up call and dressed and downstairs before Annah even lifted her head off the pillow.  I loved it -- I wish she did that every morning. 

As Tim was getting ready to bring kids to school I asked Abigail to go up stairs in her room and get something for me.  She was less than thrilled, rolled her eyes and sighed and began going upstairs murmuring that she was going to be late!!!! 

Is that really MY child saying that? Somebody check her birthmark just to be sure! 

Seriously? SHE is the one who everybody waits on (unless it's something she wants to do). 

As she went up the stairs I said to Tim in a low voice, "She is the one who is always running behind!" 

Then a voice coming from the direction of the stairs said, "I can heeeaar you!"  

I replied, "Oh yeah, what did I say?" (I was sure she was just messing with me!)

Abigail replied, "You said you're blowing my mind!" 

BWHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Yup.....that too!

(This is one of my favorite pictures of Abigail!)