Cherished Memories With Those We Love!

Today is the anniversary of my mother's death 7 years ago. On some days it is still hard to believe she is gone. There is no way to prepare yourself for the loss you feel when loosing your mother. I find myself so often praying for the chance just to spend a few minutes with her, to tell her one more time that I love her. I know that she is close by, but it's just not the same as being able to pick up the phone and talk in person. We never know when we are going to loose a loved one, so to anyone reading this, please remember to cherish the moments you have together and say I love you often. To my husband, children, grandchildren, and all my family, I love you each so much! Thanks for taking the time out of your busy lives to share special moments together. We have accumulated literally thousands of pictures and it would take days to go through them all. I have had to quickly pick out a few to share. Hope they bring special memories to your heart as they did mine.

IN LOVING MEMORY OF "GRAMMY".

Grammy didn't have any siblings and so Poppa's sister Audrey and her husband Hal are our only Aunt and Uncle. I'm grateful that Dale, Wayne, Cheryl, and I along with our cousin Karen and her family were able to get together. It had been years! Cheryl and I had been blessed to be able to travel with Grammy and Poppa back to Arkansas to attend Karen's daughter's wedding several years prior. I'm so grateful that Grammy always went the "second mile" to make memories.

I love this picture of Wayne, Daddy, and Dale at Dale's wedding. They all look so handsome! Grammy would have loved the beautiful setting and the festivities.

I believe this is a picture of Tim and Kim shortly after they were married, or maybe even before they were married. They were married the year that Grammy died. We definitely missed her there.

Cheryl and I getting to spend some time together with our granddaughters. Grammy missed out on so many fun times with her great-grandchildren. She always looked forward to being present as each one was born and it's just not the same without her there on those sacred moments.

Having Wayne, Kathleen, and their family visit one winter shortly after Christmas is one of my fondest memories. We were literally snowed in and had a blast! Grammy would have loved watching as the guys got all the vehicles stuck in the snow. She would have been right there with her video camera. Tommy, Michael, and Sean enjoyed getting to know their second cousins, Maddi, Mason, and McKayla.

It will be hard to top the memories that Marlon, Mary, Kerry and myself made together in Athens. The entire time we were there I just kept thinking how much fun Grammy would have had. I could just see her in Olympic stadium cheering Marlon on. She would have loved this day cruise that we went on.

Uncle Tim and Mason getting acquainted. Grammy loved family parties and I still miss her every time we get together. How grateful I am that she instilled in us a love for family gatherings.

Celebrating our birthday together as twins doesn't happen very often. This particular year we were all at Dales. We enjoyed Dale and Margaret's wonderful hospitality. I don't ever celebrate my birthday without being grateful to my wonderful mother who gave birth to me and my sister.

My family hates it when I make them all squeeze around the table for Thanksgiving. However, I'm sure they will agree that they love the memories once the event is over. My children also give me a hard time for always making so much food. I can't help it, it's a trait that was passed on to me by Grammy and my grandmother!

Uncle Cam, Husdson, Marlie and Mason all wanting to cuddle on the couch together. How Grammy would have loved all the kids and I can just picture her sitting on the couch reading to them.

Mason loves spending time with his daddy. He sometimes cries when his daddy leaves as he is going to miss him. I laugh when I think of what it would have been like having Mason and Dave taking Grammy on a "Ranger" ride!

We were blessed to be able to have dinner with Marlon at the Olympic Training Center last summer during our visit to San Diego. As you can see Marlon is loved. Oh how Grammy would have cherished every moment if she had been able to visit the Training Center. I can just hear her telling all of her friends about the experience she would have had.

We always love it when Poppa and Shirley come to visit. We know it's a long drive from So. California to our home in Utah, but what fun times we have. Hoping they will make it back up this summer. We are so grateful that Poppa found someone to fill the void in our lives since Grammy's death. Shirley has been such a blessing.

When Mary was here visiting during February, we took the opportunity to ride the Front Runner train from Ogden to Salt Lake. This is Mary and McKayla "posing" for a picture. Grammy would have thought this was great fun. Oh how I wish Grammy could have gotten to know all of her great-grandchildren. I'm grateful that Tim invited Kim to come with us on vacation shortly before Grammy died. I only wish Grammy could have known their darling daughters, Addie and Drew.

Keri Beth, Dave, Marlie, Maddi, McKayla, and Mason at the cabin recently. I'm so glad that the family is able to make so many fun memories together there, but I'm so sad that Grammy never got to visit there. She would have loved the view. However, I know that she's been there with us in spirit, in fact, I think she's the one that lead us to the cabin to begin with. Thanks mom, it's perfect!

I know how much Grammy loved her family and pray that we can live our lives so that she will be proud of us.