Celebration of Life

This past week has made me reflect yet again on how grateful I am for the gospel in my life. My Aunt Ruth passed away last week, and my mom and I traveled to Utah this past weekend for the funeral. My Uncle Larry was conducting the service, and began it by welcoming everyone to the celebration of Aunt Ruth's life. What an amazing way to look at it. She was a great woman and lived a good long life, and we were all there to celebrate the influence she had on us. How thankful I am for the knowledge I have that I will see her again in a life to come, and that for now she has been reunited with the love of her life. I don't think people at work quite understood this attitude, but someday they will too. I don't remember too much about Ruth really, but a few months ago we went to her 87th birthday party, and she recognized me by my curly hair! ha ha she was a fiesty old woman, but before they brought her down to the party she had been upstairs competing in a Wii bowling tournament! I love that!

Me & Ruth at her 87th Birthday in May

Even though the reason for the trip was not necessarily a fun one, it was still good to see the family. My cousin Wendy and I live in the same town and have been trying to get together for a couple weeks now--sad that it took a death and a road trip to do it, but we still had a good time. Friday after arriving in provo, Jessica, Wendy and I went for a walk to stretch after a long day. On the way I saw a deer and pointed it out to the girls--Jessica is 15 and she was quite nervous about the animal--she screamed and took off running so fast the deer darted the other way up into the canyon. I was laughing so hard I almost fell over in the street! lol.. that night the older cousins made smores in Aunt Marilyn's backyard where we were all staying. It was good to catch up with everyone and hang out with cousins I really don't know well--and of course cousin slumber parties always result in late night hours!! 

Saturday after the service we were invited to a family luncheon at the chapel, but we took the scenic route ( I was NOT driving just for clarification! lol) and when we arrived, there was no food left! So mom, and the cousins took a detour to Winger's-- I love going to Utah for that place! 

Here is Rob and the girls...

Mom hadn't eaten lunch or dinner the day before and was quite hungry...hence the cheesy smiles :)

After stuffing ourselves to the max, we went to join the rest of the family at Grandma and grandpa's house. The whole family was there, and I think we overwhelmed Grandma who is not always completely there. At one point, she turned to Wendy and I and said "This is a busy place" it was cute.

And what would a trip to Utah be without stopping by to see Melissa and the Kids? Jaman was being so funny with us--he fell and scrapped his knee Saturday while they were hiking and that's all he wanted to sign to us about! He is so animated! He has a new thing where he likes to compare skin colors with people, and as if i don't already know that I glow in the dark he proved it even more! And after taking the following pictures--he informed us he hated having his picture taken. True to form, Asher follows her Brothers example and when mom would try to take her picture she would turn her back to the camera! She is such a spirited girl I love it.