February 19 - Late

Before this week escapes and next week's letter begins, I thought it is time I sat down to share of our week last week. We wrote to you early in the morning on Sunday. After church we drove to Flagstaff, AZ and stayed in a hotel on our way to Idaho. 

We were going early to work and get things ready for the coming weekend of visitors, visitation, and funeral. We enjoyed the evening together and were grateful to arrive just before a snow storm. Underfoot and Hurricane were enthralled with the snow and had to eat it. They stepped out of the car and picked up a hunk of white snow and ate it. In the morning, Underfoot looked out the window and to his surprise the snow was still there. Snow melts rapidly in our neck of the woods so the enchantment continued.

Before leaving Flagstaff we hit Savers and bought Hurricane a coat for $2. He looked like a marshmallow when wearing it. I even got a few sweaters and a new warmer coat. We traveled all day to meet Sweetheart's brother and his family for dessert - well dessert for us and dinner for them. It was Beck's birthday. 

I mentioned to the server that it was mine and his daughter's birthdays as well. We each got an ice cream sundae. After our "supper," we continued to Sweetheart's sister's house and ate soup and hit the sack.

Yvette graciously watched our children the next morning so we could attend the temple for a date. 

We enjoyed our time together as it was Valentine's day. We ventured north and went to work.

One night while at Grandpa K and Jilli's house, Hurricane wanted a soda that was Grandpa K's. He tilled his head and said in such a sweet voice, "May I have your soda?" and then bowed his head with a grin. He got the soda after everyone erupted in laughter.

Sweetheart worked with my brother, Scott. They sanded a floor, painted, swept and who know what else at Meridell Park, plowed a field, gathered materials from all over, did property inspections, and even got a little shooting in. Each night Sweetheart was exhausted and went to sleep.

The boys and I cleaned, washed, and got Grandpa's house ready for house guests. I then ran errands and tried to be helpful where I could. The boys were troopers to be with me. 

One day I got to watch Miss S, my niece. She is a lot of fun. She likes to be held so I made a baby sling and wore her. She was great! One day the boys worked with their Grandpa K, Uncle Scott, and Dad. Hurricane's favorite part was driving the tractor. He kept trying to make it go fast once he learned where the hand throttle was. Underfoot loved to play with his cousins.

I learned a lot about my Grandpa's service to other people during the weekend. At the visitation and funeral many people shared stories and memories about how my Grandpa helped them. Scott said that if you had a secret after you told Grandpa it wasn't a secret anymore and he would try his best to help you solve the challenges you had. 

Each of his children spoke at the funeral. Uncle R gave a life sketch and talked about how he was resourceful and wanted to work and work hard. He never looked for a handout and earned what he owned. Aunt K spoke of his parenting and how he had a favorite poem by R. L. Sharpe (1809):

Isn't it strange that princes and kings

And clowns that caper in sawdust rings

And common people like you and me

Are builders for eternity.

Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass, a book of rules;
And each must make, ere his life is flown,
A stumbling-block or a stepping-stone.

My Dad spoke about the resurrection and how a trumpet will sound. My Grandpa was a trumpet player. My Grandpa and Grandma had "adopted" many different children. My Dad asked one of his adopted grandson's, M, to come and tell him about the resurrection then gave him the trumpet with the challenge to learn for himself that the resurrection was real. I got to lead the music.

We went to the cemetery, and a veterans group gave him military honors. 

We then had a party at Meridell Park in the dance hall. I'm glad we went and participated. Many people again shared their memories. It was very sweet.

Later that night my parents' family met together. We enjoyed each other while children played and played.


There are two sets of pictures to share:
First part of February
Middle February