Kylee and the Science Fair

Okay so we are required in 5th and 6th grade to enter the Science Fair. Well to tell you the truth I was tired of all of the Science Fair projects I have done over the years. So Kylee did this one herself. It was simplier than any we have done in the past and I was just glad that she basically did it by herself. To my surprise she won at her school and went on to Districts in Mapleton. Then at Districts she went on to Regionals that were held at BYU. Needless to say she did not go any further. We were so proud of her and her determination. It was awesome.

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

This year for Christmas everyone got ski or snowboard stuff. The closest place for us to play in the snow is Sundance. Matt grew up skiing and can't believe that I lived so close to a ski resort and never skiied. It is his passion. One of the main reasons we moved to Utah last year was for the snow, mountains and skiing. Got to love it. I think that he loves that the kids all love it as well.

DIsneyland

This past February we took the girls to Disneyland. We had such a good time. We used Matt's Mariott points and stayed really close and in some expensive hotels. We also went to Universal Studios. They girls loved it but one day was enough. At Disneyland we stayed for just two days. California is a fun place to visit, but I do not know that I would enjoying living there. The traffic is horrible. We went from morning till late at night and the girls were real troopers. They want to do it again next year, but I don't know if we can convince daddy. He hates the lines.

Dad's Funeral

Dad passed away August 1, 2007. The funeral was to be the following Saturday in Snowflake. The funeral was wonderful. Jared did a wonderful job on the program that was handed out and Erin Amos (Evan's wife) helped us out with the printing. My parent's ward in Snowflake were so kind and loving with all of their help to make this as easy as possible for our family.

I would like to share something here. The week prior to my father's death our ward split. I was serving as the Primary secretary and loving it. When they split the ward by the next week they had filled a lot of the callings and I was feeling a little left out because especially with the example of my father and him telling us his last few days serve until our life is worn out I was afraid that I was being overlooked because I had the stress of tending to my sick father. A few days after my dad passed way and before we headed to Snowflake for the funeral my bishop called me in. He then asked me to be the Relief Society President. I was shocked. All of my pent up emotions now let loose. I think that I scared the bishop with my reaction. He said that he had known for a while that he wanted to call me but that he was worried about the stress it would put on my family while I was tending for my father, but when he heard my father has passed away he knew he could not wait any longer. I am thankful for the opporunity to serve and to wear out my life like my father no matter what I am asked to do.

Next Few Weeks

The next few weeks were spend, caring for dad in the pain of the cancer. It was also spent sitting around talking and reminiscing, family get-to-gethers, trying to whip dad at bowling on the Wee, reading to him and just being together. Lori was able to come up for most of the time. It was good to spend time as a family. We set up house for mom and dad in Bryan and Yuko's basement. So thankful for the generosity.

One other tender mercy I will share right here. One night there was a knock at the door and it was Tony Lindsey. He had heard about dad and wanted to come and see him before he passed away. He came in and visited with dad about how dad was a great Young Men's leader and he said that all of the priests that dad was a leader over all served missions and were married in the temple and he attributed it to my father. My father was very touched, but even more touched I think was myself, Bryan, Lori and Jared. Tender mercy.

Dad clear up until the dad he passed away was sharing his testimony and teaching the gospel by his actions. Someone once asked him how are you facing these challenges and he answered theses things are just new adventures.

Dad's passing was peaceful and we were all by his side. Lori was the only one not present but she had to return to be with her family. She had already sacrificed so much being with us most of the summer. Other things more closer to my heart about this time I have saved to be handwritten in my journal. These I post here are to share my dad's life.

A Few Tender Mercies

Now I cannot go into all of the tender mercies experienced but I want to document a few. Some of these I was not actually there for but I am writing them as they were related to me. During this time that Dad stayed with Lori and her family in Queen Creek when they would take him to the hospital for checks they would pass a home in which apricots where just falling of a huge tree. Now if any one knows my father they know that he has a passion for fruit and apricots were one of his favorites. Every time he would joke let's stop and pick just the ones off of the ground. Finally one day Lori pulled into the driveway of this home and knocked on the door and asked if they could just pick the apricots from off of the ground. They told her yes and she said that dad was just like a little boy in a candy store. With help from his walker he went around and picked up as many apricots as he could. Later that week Lori received a note in the mail from the man that lived in that house telling her that he was so glad they had picked the fruit because they had not done anything with that tree for a few years because it was too hard for them because it belonged to his sweet wife who had passed away from cancer. It brought him joy to know that someone else was enjoying it. Tender mercy.

Later when Bryan went to Snowflake with Mom and Dad to get them ready to moved to Utah so that we could better help with his care. He said that many people stopped to visit dad and how that lifted his spirits. During this time Bryan was trying to find a plot in the Snowflake cementary. Mom and dad already had plots by Dad's parents but it was located in Glendale and he was afraid that no one would come and visit him way down there so he wanted to be buried in Snowflake. But two plots side by side where not to be found. Bryan would then start his search in the Show Low area. Then they received a visit from their Sunday School President and on the way out the door he asked Dad "Is there anything I can do for you" and he said "Yeah if you just happen to have 2 plots at the cementary I will take them" And the man said "I just happen to have 9". Tender mercy.

Dad's Cancer

This psat summer was spent most of the time caring for my father. It started when he was diagnosed with colon cancer a year before. Chemo had left him with peripheral neuopathy and a lot of pain in his hand and feet. He could no longer walk without assistance from others, walker or wheelchair which he just hated. We were then informed in about April of 2007 that he was in the hospital in Show Low with what they thought was a bowel obstruction. Lori was living in Queen Creek Arizona at the time and had been helping out a lot the past year. Bryan, Jared and I were living in Utah. So Bryan, Jared and I packed up and headed to Show Low where we spent a few day watching over him in the hospital. During these few days we painted dad's bedroom a lilac purple and got a new night stand for his room. It sure brighted up the place and gave us something to fill our void. Back at the hospital they later discovered it was an "inoperable tumor". So we ambulanced him down to the valley. This is when our "tender mercies" would begin relating to my father. I took mom back to Snowflake where I helped her get things packed and ready to head to the valley. The boys stayed with dad until he was in the ambulance and then they followed down after him. During this time mom and I had already left going through the Payson way. We had just went through and realized that it was a huge fire on the rim. Luckily (blessing) right after we went through they closed off the road. We called to the hospital and informed them of the road closure and they were able to take dad through the Salt River Canyon instead and were able to reach the hospital without delay. Becky was able to come to the valley for a visit and Paula was there to help watch over dad. No one was really excited about operating because of the liability, but finally someone did and gave dad a colonostomy. During this time dad was also still suffering from a blood clot in his leg which caused great swelling and pain. So off to Lori's home for a few days until we could get his blood thinned.

Summer of 2007

The summer of 2007 is one to be remembered. Over the 4th of July we headed to Monticello for some fun with Matt's two brothers Scott and his wife Garla, Alan and his wife Phyllis. Shayl (Scott and Garla's daughter) was also there with her two cute boys. Later in our trip we were joined by Chard and Lupe and their cute little girls (this is Scott and Garla's oldest son). Kylee and Samantha were the only two who could go with us as the boys had to work. We had a ball. We enjoyed our four wheeling adventures. This was the trip where Aunt Garla and Samantha took quite a tumble. Garla ended up chiping the bone in her elbow and had to go to the emergency room there in Monticello. Two weeks later though we would return to Monticello for the funeral of Matt's Grandmother Barton. She was 97 I believe. It was a beautiful occasion and it was good to see alot of the family that we have not seen for years.

Kylee is the baby. She has been called by her siblings the "perfect child". Probably because she is sooooo spoiled. She however seems to be the easiest of our children either that or the fact that Matt and I are older and tired and things do not seem to matter. Kylee is currently in 6th grade. She is on the Student Council at her East Meadows Elementary School. She turned 12 last September and entered the young women program which she has loved. It is weird that we no longer have any children in primary. Talk about making you feel old. She is our little athlete. Last month she won the shot out for her age in all of Spanish Fork. Her number of shots held out for 2nd place in all of Utah County. Her favorite sport of course is basketball with soccer close behind. She is actually just starting the softball season now. She is an awesome student. In fact the teacher contacted me because she did not want Kylee to be upset but she explained to her that she did not need to take her science test over because she already had 102 points, but she wanted to because she wanted the 105 points she could have gotten. We love KYLEE!

Samantha

Okay, this is my girly girl. She was such a little brut when she was little because she wanted to grow up to be a "big brother". Having two older brothers she can wrestle, fight, play ball and hold her own. Since she turned I would say when she turned 13 she has become more of a girl even more than I was when I was her age. She loves to clothing shop or just shop in general which she definately did not get from me. She loves to act, sing, play the piano and play volleyball. She is in the 8th grade this year and is the biggest goof which makes her loved by all, especially her family. It seems that she spends most of her free time babysitting, but it certainly keeps her in the money for that shopping she loves. Samantha will be getting her braces off in May in preparation for High School next year, watch out boys!