See you on the other side

This is a photograph of my grandmother that I display in our home. It is one of my favorite pictures of her because it depicts so much spunk.

After spending the weekend with Forest's sisters and their families, it was time to pick up my parents from the airport, head to Spanish Fork, and prepare for Grandma Keturah's funeral.

At Grandma's house, my dad and I worked on arranging a cello/piano number in the living room while Ramona and Mika made flower dollies in the backyard with Uncle Wayne and Aunt Patty.

The funeral service was on Tuesday morning. I was so glad I got to attend, along with all nine of Keturah's other grandchildren. Although funerals tend to be solemn occasions, this event also felt like a celebration--honoring a life that had been full of hard work, happy memories, and faith. The great-grandchildren all came up to the front to sing "Families Can Be Together Forever." My dad and I played a medley of "Abide With Me" and "Come Thou Fount" inspired by the old hymnal left in Grandma's piano bench. Every grandchild got up to share what they most loved about and learned from Keturah.

Following the burial and luncheon . . . 

 

 

 . . . it was time to hit the road and bring our trip to a close.

Thanks for everything, Grandma . . . we'll miss you. See you on the other side.

Labor Day Weekend: Utah

The morning after Mika's birthday, I heard news that my Grandmother Keturah had passed away. She had been back and forth between the hospital and rehab with pneumonia recently, and wasn't able to recover. Her death came sooner than I had expected, but after being a widow for over twenty years, she must have been overjoyed to be released from this life to rejoin her husband Reed. I will miss her, but I felt happy for her, too.

The funeral was scheduled for the Tuesday after Labor Day in Spanish Fork, Utah. Our family decided to leave early and spend the weekend with Forest's sisters, who graciously accepted our last-minute ambush into their homes.

After our drive on Saturday, we spent the afternoon in Salt Lake City with Maria, Josh, and Caleb. The little cousins were glad to see each other . . .

 . . . and glad to run around with the Lichty chickens, as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 On Sunday we attended church with Crissy, Aubrey, and Connor in West Jordan.

 Then we crashed at Aunt Crissy's house.

 

 

The girls got popcorn and a movie that night. (Popcorn was devoured and movie was almost entirely ignored).

 They also got story time before bed. (Not ignored--very much appreciated).

Monday morning Forest and I woke up early to go for a hike. It was so dark (and we were confused enough) that we chose a different trail head from the one we intended.

 Luckily, it wasn't too treacherous. Just dark.

 Eventually, the sun brightened things up enough for us to enjoy some mountain views.

 

 

We didn't "finish" the hike . . . we had a date with the kids at Hogle Zoo and had to get back. (And I was tired). But we felt kind of triumphant, anyway.

 Going to the zoo . . .

 . . . monkeying around at the zoo . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, Maria and Josh for treating us to the zoo! And thanks to them and Crissy for hosting us all weekend on a day's notice. We love our extended family.

"It's MY Birthday!"

The night before Mika's second birthday, she got a fever and threw up on me. I immediately sent out a message to friends postponing her birthday party, and was up with her a few more times early the next morning. Despite not feeling 100% on her special day, Mika still seemed to enjoy herself--and caught on very quickly that it was HER day.

 

Of course, Big Sis needed constant reminders that it really was MIKA'S birthday, not hers--and that the presents belonged to the Birthday Girl, also. Sometimes she would ask to play with something right after it was unwrapped, and Mika would look her sister right in the eye and say, with great satisfaction: "NO!"

 

 

 

 

 

Still, Mika found plenty of generosity in her heart to eventually share the gifts with Ramona, and the two were happily fueled with birthday bliss for much of the day.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Mika-Chica! We have just loved having you these past two years.