We will miss the Good Moments with Our Friend...

Sunday, October 11, 2009

I know that my Heavenly Father is loving because of the sweet gifts he has given me in my life. I know that life continues on and that the ones we love will be around us supporting us in our lifetime. Sometimes it feels like they are really far away, but if we just remember the good moments in time we had with them, that brings them close to us again. Another one of my favorite people passed away today. I know what I learned today will leave a missing part in my heart until I get to meet my loving Aunt again in Heaven.

I received a call this evening from Doug that Aunt Vera died today. It is amazing how the spirit can whisper to you an action that should be taken. It almost can become something you don’t recognize anymore you just act. That is what occurred today with Vera. Sean wanted to see her and had made plans in his head about going. I had it in my mind that I would take the girls after church today. During Relief Society Sean texted me and mentioned that he was going to drop by the stake center for a quick meeting and then head to Vera’s. I texted back saying the girls and I would meet him there. It was not out of the ordinary to visit her on Sunday. We visited her a lot on Sundays and we loved it. Time with Vera was time well spent.

I have to say that today was a special gift to be with her. Vera passed away about five minutes after we left her today. She had withered down to nothing these past few months. As we were visiting with Vera today, I especially wondered why some people stay on earth in this state for so long when others leave so suddenly and when they are young. During our visit today, I remember looking over at Vera’s roommate as she was sleeping. I had to look at her twice, because she looked so lifeless. As I looked back again at the roommate I thought she looked so worn out and done. It really got me thinking about Vera. I looked at Vera and wanted her to be home to enjoy her life. I wondered how long she would be like this. I felt like she should be able to return home. However, I did not think this would be the last time I saw Vera alive. I kept telling her how we would be back to see her. It was not in my thoughts that she would leave us today.

Vera’s eyes were open and her skin coloring was good. Vera has not been able to communicate for a long time now and we miss hearing her happy voice. She has been on an oxygen machine for a while now and she was very frail. It was hard to hug her in fear that you would hurt her, but the girls loved on her nonstop today. Maybe they knew the end was near.

I remember back almost a 1 ½ years ago when we thought she was going to die. Her family moved her into a nursing home and we just cried our eyes out at the thought of losing her. We saw her the day before she was heading to the home for only a few minutes. It really felt like the end. It was just so surprising to see her in such bad condition. After she was placed in the nursing home she started to get better. She recovered and was so healthy and fun. Vera was very aware and enjoyable for a full year in the nursing home. It has only been the last 6 months that she really has not been herself.

We felt blessed to have that year with her in the nursing home. My family and I got to experience something completely different with Vera there. We played games with her in the home and the girls either sang or played the piano for her. We always loved to visit with her. I have never met anyone so positive and full of gratitude for life as I have with Vera. We missed taking her out to restaurants or taking her shopping. But to have her around that extra year was a beautiful gift.

Vera touched our lives ten times more than we touched hers, but I believe she did enjoy our company and loved us like we belonged to her. Before she moved into the nursing home she would call our home on a regular basis. It was the best to get a message from Vera. She would talk and talk saying the nicest things about us. We loved to listen to her rambling on and on about life and how grateful she was to have us. Sometimes she would call and her hearing aid wouldn’t be working and she would just talk without being able to hear us back. Those moments were wonderful and will always be treasured in my memory.

I can honestly say, I love Vera and the love she gave to my family and to me was the most precious kind of love. I loved going together with my family to spend time with her. But I also loved going to see her by myself. I remember when I first started taking her places I was worried I would not have anything to talk with her about. But her stories of life and love of the gospel were so inspiring to me. I never once didn’t just love my time spent with her. She was always so happy to get out of the house for a while. I would drive up and find her waiting for me on her driveway. I would always tell her to wait inside, but she never did.

Over the last six months I have missed the Vera I knew and loved. I wanted her to be the person I could call and visit with. She was my friend! I know now she is free from the pain and suffering of her body. She is rejoicing with all her relatives and I am positive she is meeting some special people I know up in heaven.

I am not sure my life would have been as full without her in it. Over the past 6 years my family adopted Vera as our own. I am grateful for who Vera Leeper was and what she stood for. If I could only learn to love and be as grateful as she was in her life, I would be doing great.

There are so many memories that the kids, Sean and I have of her. We spent so much time with her. I will deeply miss her presence on this earth. I am just glad I took the time to get to really know her and love her. To see the connection my children had with her is priceless. They felt loved by her and will always remember her as a big part of their lives.

WE LOVE YOU VERA. Enjoy being home where you belong.

What a Gift!

Today I have to say thank you to my darling husband and my wonderful kids.  I like to receive gifts just like any one does.  Shoes, clothes, you name it and I think it is a good gift, but one that means something is probably the best kind of gift.  

Kayla had given me one hint yesterday, "She said you will use it everyday."  

I thought, Sean has finally decided to upgrade our bed.  We have had our mattress forever and I figured what else would I use everyday.  I convinced myself that was the only thing it could be.  However, as Sean starting singing and the girls started marching me downstairs a bed or pamphlet for a bed was not what I found.  

As I entered the room I saw my two girls and my husband watching me with excitement in their eyes in seeing my reaction.  After I saw the gift, they all said, "Why aren't you crying.  We thought for sure you would cry."

On the ottoman was a blanket that was finally finished and it was hand-made.  It was beautiful and lovely.  Sean said that he started asking around to see who could help him finish a project that was started a little under 6 years ago.   He told me how he had gone to Sister Dahl and asked for some help in completing this project.  However, Sister Dahl sent Sean to Maggie Hoopes.  Maggie loves to quilt and was so kind to volunteer to help him.  Sean loaded up the pieces of the quilt that had been started and headed over to have Maggie put it together.

Last Sunday night Sean took the girls out claiming Kayla had a primary activity at Sister Hoopes to practice a special surprise for Mother's Day and that Mack was going to do some practice driving.  They had me completely fooled, I didn't think anything about it.  I let them head out without any questions.  Sean and the girls went over to Maggie's home and helped work on the quilt to get it finished for Mother's Day today.  They said they worked on it for several hours and were amazed how long making the cuts and fraying it took.  

It was always meant to be a rag quilt that Amy never got to finish.  Luke had given me a big bag of squares that Amy had been working on.  He told me that maybe Lisa and I would like to split them up to make a special quilt.  Lisa and I had gone to Amy and Luke's apartment to pack up Amy's things after her death.  I guess it was his way of saying, "Thank You!"  

Packing up Amy's things was one of the most interesting times of my life.  I walked around a two bedroom apartment, looking for things of value to me.  I was aching for details about her life.  Amy and Luke were well into their fourth year of marriage and they were starving dental school students.  They did not have much in the worldly standards.  But I have to say, the things I did find in that little apartment were magical and the squares were just one of them.  That experience in her apartment will be one that I will treasure until I get to see that beautiful sister of mine again.  This blanket is something I can wrap up in and think about all the wonderful times I have ever had with Amy.   

It was the most thoughtful gift I have ever received.  Good Job Sean and thank you Mack and Kayla for helping to get it done.  I love and appreciate you guys in my life.  It was a perfect day!  I even got a box of JERS.  Everyone did, Sean just can't resist tempting all of us with chocolate.  

To top the day off Sean cooked me a Mother's Day BBQ!

What can I say.  I am a lucky MOTHER and WIFE.  I have been very blessed with a wonderful family.

Ike Taylor's Funeral

I was able to head up to Ike Taylor's Funeral with Liz and my dad after Women's Conference.  It was nice to be able to see some people I had not seen in a very long time.  I got to visit with many people who I had interacted with when I was attending BYU.   It was great to actually go to the funeral.  I did have a special spot in my heart for Ike.  I had visited a lot with him when I lived in Utah.  My parents would come and visit and we would go and visit Ike and Dorothy's home.  

My dad appreciated the effort that Liz and I made to meet up with him for the funeral.  Dad loved Ike and it was nice that he could come out for the funeral.  Mom stayed home so dad was grateful that Liz and I could go with him.  He couldn't stop telling us how much fun he was having with us there.  He really was glad to be with us.  It made it a very special day for all of us.  I have learned it is always worth making that extra effort to make someone happy.  The benefits are wonderful.  

Larry, Karyn and Ruby at Ike's Funeral.

It was nice to see Ruby again.  She is my grandmother's sister.  She is finally slowing down a little.  She was very helpful to me when I had Mackynzie and was working at WordPerfect.  She was my backup babysitter if I ever needed one.  

I remember when Uncle Rex died, I sat with her in the hospital room for a few hours after his death.  She was waiting for some of her kids to arrive.  Mom came up for that funeral.  It was sad to watch Ruby go on without Rex.  But she was a trooper and she really benefited the lives of her grandchildren.  They are all grown up now and some have children of their own.  I have to say that seeing her grandchildren at the funeral was a highlight.  They are darling kids and seem very focused on the gospel.  She is a great example of a loving individual.  I know my grandmommie loved her to pieces.  Ruby was always so great to all the kids who came up to college at BYU.  I remember many Sunday dinners at her house. 

 Sean was so kind to Ruby after Rex died.  He would go and cut the rose bushes, clean up the garden and rake up the yard.  A beautiful yard was always Rex's speciality and it was nice of Sean to help Ruby out a few times with his service to her.

We were able to drive over and see our old Salt Lake City house. 

Dad and Karyn

Liz and Dad

I had made plans for us to meet up with Doug Parry for dinner before we flew out.  It was a quick dinner, but we all really enjoyed his stories and time he spent with us.  He shared the story of losing Andrew while they were hunting for arrow heads when Andrew was just three.  He got kind of emotional and it was a nice experience with him.  Doug expressed to us that God loves each of us as individuals.  He told us that Andrew's experience was life changing for him.  That is when Doug had learned that God knew who he was.  It was a special moment with him.  It was nice for Liz and my dad to get to know Doug better.

All in all it was a great way to end my Women's Conference experience.  I love my dad and Doug.  Also, I appreciate that Liz was so willing to spend the day with dad and then go to lunch with my father-in-law.  She is truly another example of someone going the extra mile to do meaningful things for others.  That was a great way to spend a day - the only other thing we were going to do was shop.  So this was way more meaningful.

In Hawaii for Spring Break!

Some of my FAVORITE pictures....

We had a great time and I will write about it soon....

A Day in Coronado

We decided we wanted to spend the day together doing something fun in this gorgeous sunny weather.  Sean loaded the beach cruisers on the Tahoe and we were off for the day.  We headed down to ride around Coronado, it is one of our favorite places.  I think we would all move there in a minute if it didn't cost an arm and a leg to buy anything.   You would have to sell your soul to get a house there, even with the market as bad as it is.  There is NO affording a place in Coronado.  So, we do the next best thing and drive over for the day.  

Mackynzie wanted to get a little sun in before Hawaii, which is just around the corner.  Mack thought it was just wrong how white she is compare to Kayla.  Kayla can be in the sun for about 1 hour and be darker than Mack would be after all summer.  We do like being in the sun, but we lather up in the sunscreen for protection.  Everyone is pretty good about that.  I even got Sean to put the sunscreen on before the bike ride.  He fights me the worse on that but he is getting better. 


Mackynzie got to pick the restaurant to eat at.  It was a little diner on the main strip.  It was definitely not our favorite food experience, but we had a good spot in the sun and we had fun being together.




It was a great day together.  We had to be back home for the Young Woman's Broadcast that evening.  So, we didn't get to stay and play around at the beach.  That will have to happen next time.  

 

Taylor Holt's Creation

My niece Taylor Holt created this poster to depict the 2009 Theme for the Young Men and Women Program.  Her ward wants to display this each week to remind the kids of the theme this year.  I am so proud of her.  It is a beautiful and uplifting display!

Happy Birthday VERA LEEPER

Vera turned 95 years old on February 1, 2009. We had to go and visit with our favorite Aunt on her birthday. She is hanging on and is still a great joy to be around. It was just Kayla, Sean and me that went to visit her. Mackynzie had a training meeting for Young Women she had to attend. Mack was so sad to miss the visit, but we gave Vera a hug from her.

We had a great time playing Chicken Foot with Vera. She couldn't remember the rules and we had no intension of telling her she was making any mistakes. Sean, Kayla and I would just laugh and glance at each other with big smiles on our faces as she would lay things down. I think she was confusing Chicken Foot with Dominoes. We just loved her excitement about us being there playing with her. She appreciates the visits so much.

WE LOVE YOU VERA!

Remembering the Past - Happy Birthday Kayla!

The Parry family in Rancho Santa Margarita, California

Kayla 6 months in Riverton, Utah

Kayla was baptized in San Marcos, California

Kayla's Baptism Invitation

Kayla was always a soccer star!

Kayla Parry weighing in at 6 pounds and 12 ounces.

Kayla was so little compared to Mackynzie.  She was so tired all the time.  Every time I tried to feed/nurse her she would fall asleep.  She was so fun to have.  I didn't nurse Mackynzie because I went back to work so quickly after she was born.  I felt like with Mack I needed to learn how to feed a baby and not worry about the whole nursing issues.  I had only six weeks to get use to the idea of having a baby and getting ready to go back to work.  So, being a stay at home mom with Kayla was a brand new experience for me.  I loved it!  I realized the minute she was born how wonderful life was going to be with her in it.

Kayla just turned 11 years old today!  Where does the time go?  I remember when we first brought Kayla home from the hospital.  She was so little and precious.  She was a delight the moment she got home.  I couldn't believe what a great baby she was.  The only thing she fussed about was if I ate Winger's Chicken Wings or Chocolate.  I couldn't eat either of those items for about eight months.  She really would let me have it if I ever tried to sneak a taste.  I learned quickly it wasn't worth it.  

When Sean learned that Kayla was coming he started collecting the Disney Beanie Babies.  He is just a collector at heart.  I never have been a collector of things so I don't quite understand his passion for it.  However, over the years I have watched how everything is better in bulk for Sean.  This summer he got a giant TV and he decided two would be better than one, funny man.  We sure love and appreciate all he does for our family.

Kayla was born January 26, 1998.  The Christmas before she was born, Sean gave me a huge box filled with about 75 Disney Beanie Babies to open for Kayla.  He continued to purchase them until she was born.  The funny thing is that they are still around in the garage in a huge bin.  They have been loved by every kid that has come over.  Sean has definitely calmed down his collecting spirit, but he is still a collector at heart.  One never knows what the next must have will be.

Can you find Kayla in that bundle of toys?

Where is Kayla?  I see Mack!

We about lost her in this picture.

Daddy just buying some special gifts for his daughter number two. 

He calls her "KAYLA BELLA"