Gramma's Obituary

Day 9, Grateful Journal

I figured I could count last post, "Happy Thanksgiving" as my day 8 :)

1. Today, I am grateful for the spirit of Christmas that comes when we unpack our Christmas decorations.   We completed our Christmas decorating today, and as the kids were putting up their nativity scenes, I got to read a little bit to them from Luke (so nice to have the scriptures handy in my cell! - hey, I could use that for another "grateful" item :)  It was nice to bring that spirit of Christmas into this home for the first time, for our family.  Lance and Kyle got to read a few Christmas books with me today.  I love this time.
2. I'm grateful that we got to have Thanksgiving dinner yesterday with Jared.  He was working, of course, and we got to meet him at work and enjoy lunch with him.  I have to say that, honestly, I wouldn't mind doing it that way all four years that we are here.  I got to enjoy the morning with my kids, putting up the Christmas tree, instead of cooking like crazy.  Then, after the delicious all you can eat turkey dinner, we picked up our plates and threw them away.  NO DISHES!  I was about to wipe off the table when Jared reminded me, "They'll get it".  See, that's what I'm talking about!
3. I'm grateful to have had this amazing Gramma in my life.  Here is a poem that she wrote and gave to her dad, Harold Walter Miller. The date on it was 11 May 1949. She wrote, “He must have thought enough of the concept to have kept it all these years.” She found this poem among his things after he died.  Grampa put it in the program for her Memorial Service.

LOOK UP...WEEP NOT




When the candle of my life is blown out,

Don’t bury me in the cold, dark ground.

But take my ashes to the highest hill,

Where below the countryside,

Nature in her wedding gown is peaceful,

Yet alive with the beauty of existence.

And my loved ones, left behind to weep,

Will lift their faces to the heavens

Where the sun

And the wind

And the rain

Will mingle with the tears and loneliness

And wash them away,

Leaving only happy thoughts

Of days that were and are to be

For both the left behind and the gone beyond.

I want no hanging heads

Or tears wetting the bleeding hearts

That cover a mound of earth.

I want no gravestone, hard and cold,

Keeping my spirit down.

I want to fly with the skylark,

And run with the weaving brook.

I want to dance with the blowing trees

And sing with the wind and rain.

Lift your face

And heart

And soul,

For I am not gone forever

But have changed my garments of worldliness

For the cloak of godliness.



~Janet M. Tilton~

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm so grateful for helpers in the house!

A few pics I took this morning in spirit of the day:

Cami was so excited to get ready for today.  She even picked out her outfit.  I'm so grateful that I have cute clothes to dress my children in.






Catch!



Love at home.  I am grateful for siblings happily playing together and being best buddies.



More loving siblings.  Tuesday at the railroad tracks by Kyle's preschool.  The only picture I got before we headed back to the car.  Brrr!  We'll come back in the spring.





Last night's shelves.  I bought these at a yard sale months ago, and couldn't decide exactly where, in Cami's room, I wanted to put them.  I finally decided that I've gotta get these up before we move again.  I am really happy with how they look here :)  I'm so grateful for my handyman!



Day 7, Gratitude Journal

1. I'm grateful for school being out and more time with kids and a more relaxed schedule.
2. I'm grateful for the public library system and free movies and books to borrow for the holidays.
3. I'm grateful to be able to witness Cami singing, "I am a Child of God." by herself.  Tonight, Dad was putting up shelves in her room, and she sat on the rocking horse and sang.  It was the cutest thing.

Day 6, Grateful Journal

1. My Gramma passed away today.  I am grateful for the knowledge that, like Jesus, she lives!  And she would laugh at having her name so compared with Jesus.  Last Thanksgiving was our last time together.  There was a feel to our hugs and goodbyes at the end of that trip, something in her misty loving eyes, that told me that I might not see her again in this life.  How I loved sitting next to her, laughing at her quips about this or that.  She has an incredible talent with humor.  If you walked into her house, you would see where her heart is.  There are pictures of her family, children, grandchildren, everywhere.  There's a really cute one of her and her eternal companion, Grampa, when they were dating.  She made sure that relationship ended with the two of them.  She calls herself a "Jewish Princess" because of what a wonderful husband Grampa is to her.  Oh, how I miss her!
2. I am grateful for the gift of prayer.  I know I'm not s'posed to say the same thing again, but last time I called it, "power of prayer".  Today it is a gift.  Last week, the kids were playing capture the flag, the flag being Lance's camoflauge jacket "because it's easier to hide".  I told them I didn't like it, but if they were sure to bring it back inside, they can use it.  Of course, the friends that were here that day had left when I called the kids in for dinner and the rest of the evening took our minds off the camo jacket that was still sitting out in the dark somewhere.  The next day, Lance could not find it.  It's been about 4 days, and by this time, Lance wanted to play capture the stick.  I told him that he could play it after he looked again for his jacket  and said a prayer.  He looked, but wasn't big on the prayer part.  After a bit, he came back to me after having said his prayer.  He was bummed that, although he had said a prayer, he still hadn't seen it.  However, he was excited that now he could play the game and move on to other things after doing what was asked.  A few hours later, I happened to glance outside in the backyard.  There, in the middle of our yard, was Lance's jacket, as if it had landed there from heaven.  I asked all the kids if they found it, and none had.  Needless to say, Lance was pretty excited to have witnessed this gift and miracle from prayer.
3. I enjoyed a good conversation with Grampa this morning.  He told me that Gramma's been in a great deal more pain lately.  She even woke up yesterday while her Visiting Teacher was with her and, dissappointed, asked, "I'm still here?"  Even at a time like this, she's making us laugh.  In our family and couple prayers, we've been praying that Gramma might have the desires of her heart.  But later today after talking to Grampa, I said a pleading prayer.  "Please let Gramma be relieved of this pain."  Hours later my mom called me with the news.  I'm so grateful that she is no longer suffering.  I love thinking about the reunions she is having with so many, including our Evan!

Day 5, Grateful Journal

1. I am grateful for Primary music that helps our Sunday mornings run more smoothly.
2. I am grateful for missionary work, and the opportunity that I have to share it with others that have not had the blessings of this gospel in their lives.  One family, that the sister missionaries introduced me to, came to church today for the first time.  It was a different experience for the father, and the mother absolutely loved it.  The kids got to meet my children, who have been anticipating this during the week.  They have a little girl that overcame cancer, so our kids have this little bit in common that not too many others have.  It is such a joy to look into their eyes and see the happiness they are feeling through experiencing the gospel for the first time.
3. I am grateful for ward choir and singing Christmas songs.  It's fun :)