A WEEK OF CONCERN AND LOVE

 IN THE WEE HOURS SUNDAY MORNING (3:30 A.M.) DON GOT UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.  HE WAS VERY DIZZY AND   LEANED TOWARDS  HIS LEFT WHEN HE WALKED.  THIS SCARED US BECAUSE IT REMINDED US OF THE MILD STROKE HE HAD IN 2007.   I DROVE DON TO THE ER AT THE VA HOSPITAL  TO HAVE HIM  CHECKED OUT.  DON'S BLOOD PRESSURE WAS A LITTLE HIGH AND HE WAS A LITTLE DEHYDRATED BUT OTHER THAN THAT HE WAS OK.  THE DOCTOR GAVE DON SOME HINTS ON HOW TO STAND UP AFTER SITTING OR LAYING DOWN FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME.  HE NEEDS TO TAKE LONGER TO GET THE CIRCULATION MOVING IN HIS FEET AND LEGS.  THIS WAY, DON WON'T BE AS DIZZY OR  LOSE HIS BALANCE AS MUCH.

I BROUGHT HIM BACK HOME 5 HOURS LATER JUST IN TIME TO GO TO CHURCH.  IT SEEMED STRANGE  TO SIT IN CHURCH AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED.

 TODAY BEGAN WITH 2 BIG MR GOODBARS WAITING FOR US.  THIS IS A TREAT FOR US ON VALENTINES DAY BECAUSE WE LOVE THESE CANDY BARS.  WE BOTH LOOKED FORWARD TO EATING THEM THAT EVENING WHILE WATCHING T.V.

 AFTER DON GOT HOME FROM WORK WE LEFT FOR THE TEXAS ROADHOUSE TO EAT DINNER.  WHAT A DELICIOUS MEAL WE HAD.  THERE WAS SO MUCH FOOD WE BOXED ENOUGH FOR ANOTHER MEAL.

 DON AND I LOVE DOING THESE TRADITIONS  AND FEEL VERY BLESSED THAT WE ARE STILL ABLE TO HAVE SUCH FUN TOGETHER.   AFTER THE SCARE ON SUNDAY, WE  REALIZE THAT THINGS CAN CHANGE SO QUICKLY.  WE DON'T TAKE THINGS FOR GRANTED ANY MORE AND WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE  MOMENTS WE HAVE WITH EACH OTHER.

WE THOUGHT OF ALL OUR LOVED ONES TODAY AND HOPE EVERYONE HAD A GREAT DAY CELEBRATING  THE LOVE YOU HAVE FOR EACH OTHER.  WE ARE SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING  ALL OUR FAMILY AGAIN IN JULY!!

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

WHAT A EVENTFUL WEEK IT WAS.  FIRST OF ALL,  LISA ASKED ME TO HELP DRESS JANET FOR HER BURIAL.  I HAD NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE AND I WAS HOPING I COULD HANDLE THIS. IT ENDED UP BEING A BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE.  THERE WERE 7 WOMAN ALL TOGETHER THAT DRESSED HER.  TERRI WAS THERE TO DO JANET'S HAIR.  I REALLY APPRECIATED THIS OPPORTUNITY.

        

 LISA HAD ALSO ASKED ME TO MAKE A DISPLAY OF JANET'S LIFE.  I WAS EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS FOR JANET.    EVERYONE SEEMED TO ENJOY THE DISPLAY AND I WAS PLEASED HOW IT TURNED OUT.    THESE EVENTS HELPED MY GRIEVING PROCESS.

 IT WAS WONDERFUL HAVING TAMI COME TO THE MEMORIAL WITH ME.  TAMI LOVED JANET TOO AND SHE ALSO WANTED TO GIVE ME MORAL SUPPORT.  THE MEMORIAL WAS LOVELY AND VERY COMFORTING  FOR ME AND ALL THOSE THAT ATTENDED.

I LOVED SEEING LORNA, MYRTLE AND BUNNY THERE FROM SALT LAKE.  KELLY ALSO CAME TO JANET'S MEMORIAL AND I ALWAYS LOVE SEEING HIM.

AFTER THE MEMORIAL I WAS ABLE TO TAKE TAMI'S PHOTO WITH TERRI AND KRISTY.  TERRI AND TAMI WERE THE SAME AGE GROWING UP IN THE GOSPEL AND KRISTY WAS  LARA'S AGE.

 I CAME BACK AFTER THE FAMILY DINNER AT THE  CHURCH  TO TAKE DOWN THE DISPLAY.

I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A FEW PICTURES OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS.  HERE I AM WITH JANET'S 3 DAUGHTERS.  THEY WERE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF MY FRIENDSHIP WITH THEIR MOM.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN

 IT'S  HARD TO BELIEVE THAT YESTERDAY I WAS BRUSHING JANET'S HAIR.  TODAY (JAN. 31)  I SAID MY GOODBYES TO HER AT COMMUNITY HOSPITAL BEFORE SHE LEFT THIS EARTH LIFE TO BE WITH GOD AND HER LOVED ONES.

I HAD A GOOD CRY WHEN I LEFT THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE I WILL MISS HER.  MY TEARS WERE SELFISH BECAUSE I KNOW SHE IS OUT OF PAIN AND SUFFERING AND WOULD NOT WANT TO COME BACK.  I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR MY KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL.  THIS KNOWLEDGE IS SO COMFORTING  WHEN YOU LOSE PEOPLE THAT YOU LOVE.

 I'VE BEEN SO BLESSED TO HAVE HAD SUCH A FRIEND.  I HAD WORKED UP A BOOK ABOUT OUR FRIENDSHIP AND HAD GIVEN JANET A COPY.  I KNOW SHE ENJOYED THIS BOOK AS I ADDED PAGES TO IT THIS PAST YEAR.

WHEN I GOT HOME I RE-READ THIS BOOK  AND IT HELPED MY PAIN.   I'M SO GLAD I HAD RECORDED  OUR MEMORIES TOGETHER.    MANY  OF THE MEMORIES MAKES ME CHUCKLE.  HAVING 35 YEARS TOGETHER, AS FRIENDS, IS SUCH A BLESSING.  WE WERE KINDRED SPIRITS AND WE WILL  BE ETERNAL FRIENDS.