In Loving Memory of Kristie Lynn

Last week we drove out to Utah for the burial of my sister-in-law Kristie, Branden's brother's wife. She lost her two year battle with cancer the week before, leaving behind her a devoted husband and three beautiful children ages three to seven. I cried all the way through the service (poor Branden had to give a talk!) but at the end I had a great feeling of peace come over me as I knew Kristie was in a better place and the Lord would take care of her family for her. I'm so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of eternal families that provides that peace!

And although the occasion was sad, it gave us the chance to have the family reunion we've been hoping for for a long time. Everyone on B's side was there and it was wonderful to see Nora immersed in a sea of cousins.

Immediately after a tasty lunch, most of us headed over to the new Payson swim park for some fun. Not quite your typical post-funeral activity, but hey...

We made the trip over the course of six days, only two and a half of which we were in Utah. We drove until 1 am Saturday night, hotelled in Vegas, drove most of Sunday getting in at around 2 pm. Burial was Monday, shopped Tuesday and had dinner with my grandparents and aunts and Uncles that evening and took off again for Vegas after dessert.

The second time through we stayed at Circus Circus and let Nora have some fun on the rides.

It was a quick trip with lots of driving, but on the whole Nora and Ike did great, with only a few meltdowns to mention.

And on a lighter note...

This is the first time Nora has really learned about death, and in the process of trying to understand it she has said some really morbid but funny things. For instance:

In trying to explain what we would do in Utah, I told her that Aunt Kristie's spirit was in heaven but her body would be in a box. In Utah we would get to see her box and then it would be lowered in a hole in the ground and be covered up with dirt. At this point, in a very excited voice, Nora says "I need to get a shovel!"

Also, Nora is -alas- a frequent nose picker, and dare I say it -booger eater. We try to get her to stop by telling her that picking her nose will make her sick. So...one day as I was watching a little collage of photos of my late sister-in-law put together by her hubby, Nora hops in my lap and I point out her aunt Kristie.

"The one who died?"she says.

"Yep."

"Why did she die?"

"Her body got very sick."

She looks at me with a very serious expression. "Did she pick her nose?"

And then of course there have been the "burying" games where she wants to put her dolls in boxes and "bury" them in our big old-fashioned trunks.

I hope no one dies again anytime soon. I think my little girl needs some time to digest the death concept better. :)

Trouble's Brewing

I turn my back on Nora for one second and...

Ike will hate me later for posting these pictures, I'm sure. :) These kids are going to be trouble together. I can already tell. I see it in Ike's eyes - he just can't wait to start getting into mischief with Nora. The good news about that is that I'm also sure they will be great friends. Ike already thinks Nora is hilarious and vice versa. They have giggle fests together - like in the tub splashing water on each other (okay, Ike just kicks his feet and it ends up splashing her, but she thinks he's trying to have a water fight) or when she picks him up and does log rolls with him. Yikes! He can't get enough of his crazy, fun big sister. And I can only imagine the kinds of trouble they'll find once he is mobile!