First of all, let me give you fair warning...
None of these pictures are all that glamorous of us, but I felt it was really important to take pictures over the course of this week in July, so that we would remember the moments. Two months later...I am thankul that I heeded that prompting.
Aaron's Grandma Bettye Drake passed away in July. It was a really rough time for all of us, but I'm really glad I was there to experience it with Aaron. We spent a lot of time just sitting together and holding each other. I'm also really thankful that we only lived three hours away and were able to be in Mountain Home, AR within hours of his Grandma's passing.
We were also there for the funeral preparations. Aaron was asked to make a slideshow of his Grandma using her HUGE collections of photos. Massive amounts of photos from all times her life. It was so fun to look through the pictures. Aaron scanned the pictures into his computer and made a really, really impressive slideshow. It brought so many people to tears, and I think it really comforted people to celebrate her life that way. As you can see below...we made quite a mess of picturs in his Grandma's living room!
Aaron's mom and her sibblings decided that it would be fun for all the grandchildren to look through Grandma's jewelry, and pick out some of their favorites to keep. I picked out quite a few, but my favorite was a real pearl necklace from Hong Kong. Jan picked it out for her mom on one of her trips to Asia. It's beautiful, but I've never worn it. I guess I'm saving it for a special occasion.
This is the two of us after the funeral... I think we spent a fair amount of time with teary eyes before this pictures. Ok lets be honest....I spent a fair amount of time burried in Aaron's shoulder, which left both of us not quite put together and very wet. :)
Like I said... not very glamorous, but worth having to remember what we were thinking and feeling that day.
By the way, it was one of the most beautiful funerals I have ever been to. It was held at our church - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - and was so wonderful, second only to perhaps my Aunt Marci's which was also a beautiful occasion.
Losing someone close to you is always hard, but I'm so thankful to know that families can be together forever. One of my favorite songs to sing at church is the song below, which kept running through my head that day.
I have a family here on earth
They are so good to me
I want to share my life with them through all eternity
Families can be together forever
Through Heavenly Father's Plan
I always want to be with my own family
And the Lord has shown me how I can
The Lord has shown me how I can
While I am in my early years
I"ll prepare most carefully
So I can marry In God's temple for eternity
Families can be together forever
Through Heavenly Father's Plan
I always want to be with my own family
And the Lord has shown me how i can
The Lord has shown me how I can
The Sibblings
Sibblings and Spouses
I think everyone had a really good time being together. It was really stressful for me to watch Aaron go through something like this, but like I said before, I'm so glad I was there with him. It was really overwhelming to me to be surrounded by so many people that I didn't know well and to be thrown into a devestating family situation like that so soon after being married, but I would do anything for Aaron. I love you, honey.
-SL
