pictures

happy birthday Joette- I'm thinking about you.

ok...so this blog has really taken a turn lately hasn't it? It used to be kind of enjoyable with some humor here and there- and now it seems to only be this sad story told over and over again...well just to say- I write about what I feel and what consumes the majority of my thinking during the day- so there you go- that's my explanation- so bear with me- I am just taking one day at a time here.

so how about some pictures? That's the best part about blogging anyway right? I hope you enjoy these- I know the family will.

First of all- here is my mom's senior picture- She was beautiful don't you think?



Here she is as a baby



Here she is when she was 17,18,19 or so- I don't think she is married yet-



and another one from many years ago



and when she married Daddy



and when she was a young mother of 4- she is holding Joette and I



and here she is as she goes through the dreadful 80's



skip a few years- Here she is as the young women's president- I can explain later if you'd like.



This picture was taken after her first round of chemo and she was in remission for a year or so



Here she is being Grandma (she was the most amazing grandma)



Here she is being Grandma again



Here she is dressing up for a party- it was a "murder mystery" real life acting game. Can you believe she was in between chemo sessions during this time? Always loved parties haven't you Mom? This was taken around last fall/winter time.



Here is our last family picture taken together- Christmas 2007



Here she is at Disney World- our last big trip together- February 2008



Mom somehow went into remission after having stage 4 cancer for 3 1/2 years- she came down to Utah to visit in May this year 2008. We rode the train, walked temple square, painted cabinets, went to the movies, talked a bunch



I talked to my mom every day on the phone but never saw her again physically until September 28, 2008. The tumors in her brain had spread rapidly and she was swollen from the steroids. I was able to be with her for 3 weeks until she passed away October 16, 2008. One week after I arrived we decided to take Mom to hospice. She declined very fast and so we didn't take pictures anymore.

Even though she was really sick and losing most of her communication she was still Mom- she smiled a lot, told my girls how much she loved them, wanted to hold Kenzie and Julia even though she didn't have the strength to do so...the last weeks of Mom's life are so dear and precious to me.





















At her funeral we displayed some of her paintings in the foyer of the church- it was the first thing people saw when they walked in-









each life that touches ours for good...

love you Mom-