We've had a very busy summer so far. Some of the busy has been fun, but some has been a bit tough. Shelby and I went to Girl's Camp at Camp Lo Mia June 4th - 7th. We had a great time and enjoyed being Super Heroes and standing Steadfast and Immoveable. It's a different experience being a Stake leader at camp. I love being able to watch the girls enjoy themselves and see how much their leaders care for them.
It's also great to be able to watch Shelby in the camp atmosphere. She has a great time with her friends and I appreciate our ward leaders who take so much time with her. We both had to avoid some of the wonderful food prepared by our "Souper" hero cooks so that we didn't blow all of the hard work we had done losing weight before camp started.
We came home and I helped get our hygiene kits for Pauline Lewis in Phoenix who delivers them to homeless every Sunday. That was a rewarding experience. I got a nap that afternoon, went to church the next morning and heard a wonderful report from Isaac Button who had just returned from a mission in England. Was feeling so wonderful after all of the camp experiences, etc. Then was pulled out of Sunday School by my brother-in-law, Dean telling me that Dad had collapsed and they had rushed him to the hospital and were helping him breathe, but that it didn't look good. What a horrible feeling! I remember having a hard time standing up and breathing. Jeff had been getting ready to teach the Gospel Doctrine lesson, and Dean went and got him, people from our ward stepped in and took over. We went home and threw some things in bags that hadn't been emptied from camp and were gassing up when I talked to Penny on the phone after she hung up with Wynn and found out that he hadn't made it.
I heard awhile ago that we don't have to refer to people who have passed to the other side in the past tense. Elder Scott said that these people are still who they were when they were on earth, so that it's okay to describe them still in the present tense. So ... I won't say that my Dad WAS a great dad! I'll say that my Dad IS a great dad!! I'd been reading a book about Near Death Experiences before Dad passed away and I've been so blessed to be able to picture my dad in the Spirit World. I think of him working with Jed and Darin and Grandma and Grandpa Flake - preaching the gospel and enjoy all the fellowships there.
We had a whirlwind of a week following Dad's death. We stayed in Snowflake until Monday evening. The first few nights after he passed away I had a hard time falling asleep, then I would wake up very early and start thinking, so I would just get up and get going so I didn't lay in bed and cry. The next part of the week I was so exhaused that I was able to fall asleep okay, but mornings were still really tough. I had some good walks in the morning.
I went to work finding pictures for my brother in law David to put in a slideshow and working on putting a Love at Home arrangement by Lenn Shumway into violin and viola parts. I recruited my cousin and my kids piano teacher Rob Solomon to put together a medly of Danny Boy (which Dad had always requested we play at his funeral), Love at Home, Come Thou Fount (which we played at Darin's funeral) and a little tag of "Home on the Range" at the end. Rob did an amazing job. I'm so grateful for his talent and his willingness to do that for my dad and for us. I think it turned out really well.
It's also great to be able to watch Shelby in the camp atmosphere. She has a great time with her friends and I appreciate our ward leaders who take so much time with her. We both had to avoid some of the wonderful food prepared by our "Souper" hero cooks so that we didn't blow all of the hard work we had done losing weight before camp started.
We came home and I helped get our hygiene kits for Pauline Lewis in Phoenix who delivers them to homeless every Sunday. That was a rewarding experience. I got a nap that afternoon, went to church the next morning and heard a wonderful report from Isaac Button who had just returned from a mission in England. Was feeling so wonderful after all of the camp experiences, etc. Then was pulled out of Sunday School by my brother-in-law, Dean telling me that Dad had collapsed and they had rushed him to the hospital and were helping him breathe, but that it didn't look good. What a horrible feeling! I remember having a hard time standing up and breathing. Jeff had been getting ready to teach the Gospel Doctrine lesson, and Dean went and got him, people from our ward stepped in and took over. We went home and threw some things in bags that hadn't been emptied from camp and were gassing up when I talked to Penny on the phone after she hung up with Wynn and found out that he hadn't made it.
I heard awhile ago that we don't have to refer to people who have passed to the other side in the past tense. Elder Scott said that these people are still who they were when they were on earth, so that it's okay to describe them still in the present tense. So ... I won't say that my Dad WAS a great dad! I'll say that my Dad IS a great dad!! I'd been reading a book about Near Death Experiences before Dad passed away and I've been so blessed to be able to picture my dad in the Spirit World. I think of him working with Jed and Darin and Grandma and Grandpa Flake - preaching the gospel and enjoy all the fellowships there.
We had a whirlwind of a week following Dad's death. We stayed in Snowflake until Monday evening. The first few nights after he passed away I had a hard time falling asleep, then I would wake up very early and start thinking, so I would just get up and get going so I didn't lay in bed and cry. The next part of the week I was so exhaused that I was able to fall asleep okay, but mornings were still really tough. I had some good walks in the morning.
I went to work finding pictures for my brother in law David to put in a slideshow and working on putting a Love at Home arrangement by Lenn Shumway into violin and viola parts. I recruited my cousin and my kids piano teacher Rob Solomon to put together a medly of Danny Boy (which Dad had always requested we play at his funeral), Love at Home, Come Thou Fount (which we played at Darin's funeral) and a little tag of "Home on the Range" at the end. Rob did an amazing job. I'm so grateful for his talent and his willingness to do that for my dad and for us. I think it turned out really well.
1 comment:
Thanks, Celeste, for visiting my blog, and I really appreciate your comments that you left! I am very impressed with the people who serve at Randolph. What a sacrifice of time and travel. I was reading your blog, and found the post about your dad's death. Great pictures of you and your dad, very special. Thanks for sharing something so personal. Glad to know you have a blog...I'll be checking in and seeing how you're all doing!
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