Sunday, October 5, 2014

Reflecting on lives lost

Sometimes things happen that might completely change your life.   Sometimes for the worse, but hopefully for the best.   Sometimes we don't expect these desired changes to ever take place.   And then one day you get an overwhelming feeling that NOW, now it is time to proceed to the next step.   

Well, we might be approaching one of those moments.  And really it's kind of exciting and scary all at the same time.   Not sure when I really want to announce what that is exactly.   But just know that good things are coming to our family.  We truly are blessed in almost every facet of our lives and we like to extend those blessings to those around us. 
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Recently we lost our dear sweet mother, Mary Randolph - Chris's mother.   On August 14, 2014 she passed away into the world of spirits.   She was kind, thoughtful, loving and a joy to be around.   She loved her family and clear up till the end she would light up when a grandchild would come into her sight.  We had a very great experience for about two weeks.   I could feel the spirit extremely well the days prior to her passing, and there were moments of laughter as we reminisced and told stories, and there were also moments of great sadness knowing what was about to happen.  Even as I type this the emotions are coming to the surface again. 

It was such a different experience to go through the death of a loved one and not be so far away geographically to know what was really happening.  It was sweet, it was tender, it was very spiritual.  It's always hard to think of living on without someone so loved and important to her family.   It's almost hard to comprehend that life really does go on for everyone else.  

Sometimes as I make the drive down to Santaquin, where my in-laws live, I feel like I'm going to show up there and she'll come walking out from her bedroom.  (and I would just jump for joy to see her even do that - as she couldn't walk really at all the last several months of her life).  She is missed everyday!  Little Esther will come up to me and say, "Grandma's in heaven."   She barely turned three after Mary's passing.  I am amazed at how much she knows at such a young age.   

It was definitely a rough time for our little family, because we lost her on one day, and the next day we heard that the first Bishop that we had after we bought our home here in Provo was killed while on the job.  It was a major shock to the ward, stake and neighborhood.   He was a great man, and as Christ like as they come. We were unable to attend any of his services because everything was at the exact same time as Mary's.  It was such an emotional time, but I'm so glad that the family was able to ALL be close and have those last few days with her as she was crossing over.   


Then just a week ago, a month after the funerals for the other two people, we found out that a young father age 30 unexpectedly died from a pulmonary embolism.  His cute wife just gave birth to their second child 8 weeks before.   I'm amazed at her faith through this.  I had the chance to talk with her two days after he passed away and she is a strong woman.  I want to be like her.  Life is so precious and fragile, and there really is no time to harbor ill feelings towards those you care about, or are part of your family.