Talk about a crazy couple weeks! Sunday February 7th started out like any other day except it was our sweet Elsie's birthday and she was turning 2. We woke up went to church and then I'm sitting in sacrament meeting and I get a text from my Aunt with an ultrasound picture on it and I turned to Zach and said "NO WAY". I had to double check that her name was on the ultrasound. She adopted a sweet girls about 8 years ago because she was told she would never had kids. Well now she is pregnant and it is a true gift from God.
Later that evening after we had put the girls to bed Zach gets a call from his Dad saying that his Grandma Jackie Christensen had passed away. It was a complete shock! I didn't know what to think. I just cried. I loved his Grandma very much! She was the type of person that would tell you how it was but you always new that she loved you no matter what. She truly was a remarkable woman. She was Relief Society President and that morning she woke up went to her meetings and did all that she was suppose to and then came home later and died. It was crazy! One minute she was alive and well and the next she was gone. It is still hard for me to wrap my head around! But non the less we felt it was very important to go to her funeral and be there.
They scheduled it for the following Friday and I was already planning on heading to AZ Friday night so I could be at my sisters bridal shower. Well this put a little detour in our way but honestly it worked out very well. We left Wednesday after Anna got off school and drove all the way to Utah. We got there about 11am. I then went and helped dress Jackie in her temple clothes which was a really neat experience! I'm so glad I got to have that time with her. My Mother-in-law invited me to do that with her and Cassie, Camille, and Carolina. It was a special time. The funeral was Friday which was really good! We were able to sign a couple songs and I led the music for the funeral. One thing I really thought was cool was right before we were going to close the casket the funeral director opened it all the way and had the girls come over and see her whole body. It was really special. He explained a little bit about the temple clothes she wore and what they mean. She said when he was little he could figure out why they only berried 1/2 of his Grandma...lol. I guess you could say that it really meant a lot to me that he would do that cause I know that Anna was super curious about it all. After we dedicated her grave sight we were able to go back after the luncheon to show Anna and Kali that they buried her. Anna was really sad that she didn't get to see them do it. But we saw all the pretty flowers and I told her that we would have just been in the way and then I think she was okay with it.
Going to a funeral like this was very good for me. I feel bad for Larry but I know that Jackie is okay and I know that she is happy with how everything turned out. I feel blessed knowing that death is a natural part of life and that I will see Jackie again. I know that she will be a little guardian angel watching over my family and for that I am truly grateful. At this time in my life I need all the help I can get. Larry said that she is up in heaven talking to all the future children that will enter our family. It was as if God was telling me there are more spirits that want to come to your family so get ready. I am truly grateful for the blessings I have and especially this family that I have married into that has welcomed me with open arms and loved me.
One special story I want to share before I close this post. Zach and I had been on a few dates and I told him that we were going to SLC for conference with a couple girls in my ward. He offered to let us stay with his Grandma when we went up there. My friend Jen said she thought we should so off we went. When I walked into there home I new they were special. They weren't there the weekend that we were but I just felt like I new his Grandparents. I felt like I would go to that house again and it was the strangest experience. It was one of the reasons I kept dating Zach even though I wasn't sure about it all. Zach was and is very lucky to have such awesome Grandparents.
Jackie will love and miss you! Thanks for all that you did for our family and probably will do!
....Katie's wedding and such to be continued...
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