NO REGRETS......

LAST DEC. WHILE SHAD WAS AT JUDGES CONFERENCE IN SALT LAKE, I SPENT THE DAY WITH AUNT LAURA....THE WHOLE DAY.  WE VISITED .... SHE RESTED, AND WE VISITED SOME MORE.  I JUST HAD A FEELING THAT MAYBE THIS YEAR SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO VISIT.  AT THE TIME SHE WAS LIVING ALONE...AND A FEW MONTHS AGO SHE HAD FALLEN A FEW TIMES.  HER DAUGHTER SUE HAD COME TO LIVE WITH HER.  JUDGES CONFERENCE IS IN DEC.  I ALWAYS STOPPED TO SEE AUNT LAURA, BUT  BECAUSE OF DEC. BEING SUCH A BUSY MONTH...I HAD NEVER SPENT THE DAY.  I AM NOT VERY GOOD AT TAKING SELFIES BUT I DID GET THIS ONE.
WHILE I WAS GROWING UP, AUNT LAURA WAS SUCH A ROLE MODEL.  SHE SERVED ON THE YW GENERAL BOARD FOR ABOUT 9 OR 10 YEARS, HOWEVER,  SHE ALWAYS HAD TIME FOR ME.  I REMEMBER SHE GAVE ME A BABY SHOWER IN SALT LAKE WHEN I WAS EXPECTING JEREMY.  HER DOOR WAS ALWAYS OPEN.  SHE MADE TRIPS TO BEAVER WHEN OUR BOYS LEFT AND RETURNED FROM THEIR MISSIONS.  SHE TOOK CARE OF MOM WHEN SHE WAS IN SALT LAKE AFTER HER STROKE.  EVERY TIME I THANKED HER SHE SAID HOW MUCH SHE LOVED HAVING HER THERE.
SHE AND UNCLE ROY SERVED A MISSION BUT HAD TO RETURN EARLY BECAUSE OF HIS BACK.....BUT SHE NEVER FELT ASHAMED...SHE KNEW THEY HAD DONE ALL THEY COULD DO.
I LOVED HEARING ABOUT HER PERSONAL STORIES THAT SHE HAD AS SHE TRAVELED WITH MARVIN J ASHTON AND PRES. MONSON.  SHE CALLED THEM MARV AND TOM.  SHE HAD SOME GREAT EXPERIENCES WITH THEM AS SHE TRAVELED THROUGH EUROPE AND THE ISLANDS OF TONGA ....ETC. WITH THEM. SHE HAD SUCH WONDERFUL LIFE EXPERIENCES, BUT THE THING SHE LOVED  MOST WAS HAVING HER 2 DAUGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT HER HOME EACH SUNDAY NIGHT FOR ICE CREAM.  THEY HAD LOTS OF FLAVORS....AND LOTS OF TOPPINGS.  MOM REALLY ENJOYED BEING THERE WHEN HER KIDS WOULD COME.  LILA PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO, THAT WAS A BLOW TO AUNT LAURA, BUT IN TRUE FASHION.....SHE LET HER FAITH CARRY HER AS SHE MOURNED THAT LOSS ALONG WITH THE LOSS OF UNCLE ROY AND AUNT LILA (WHO HAD ALSO LIVED WITH THEM).
SHE HAD MANY MISCARRIAGES, AND THEN LOST LILA YET SHE WAS ALWAYS THE ONE WE TURNED TO WHEN WE NEEDED STRENGTH.  SHE NEVER STOPPED SERVING.  NO MATTER WHAT SHE WAS CALLED TO DO...SHE WAS STILL VISITING TEACHING A YEAR AGO.
LAST TUES., I GOT AN EMAIL FROM SUE TELLING ME THAT AUNT LAURA HAD A STROKE AND WAS NOT DOING WELL.  SHE  IS UNABLE TO MOVE OR TALK.  SHE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL AND ICU FOR A FEW DAYS.  AFTER THE TESTS THEY FOUND THAT SHE HAS A BLOOD CLOT IN HER BRAIN, BUT SHE WOULD NOT SURVIVE A SURGERY TO REMOVE IT.  SHE IS NOW AT HER HOME WITH SUE.  HOSPICE IS COMING IN BUT SUE'S HUSBAND JUST DIED OF CANCER AND NOW SHE IS TAKING CARE OF HER MOM.  SHE HAS LEARNED THE LESSON OF SERVICE .  SHE HAS LEARNED THAT AT THIS POINT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OFFICE IN THE CHURCH SHE HAS HELD.  IT DOES MATTER THAT SHE ALWAYS KEPT HER FAMILY AS HER TOP PRIORITY.
I HAVE ALWAYS ADMIRED SUE.  SHE IS SO KIND AND GIVING.  I PRAY THAT HEAVENLY FATHER WILL BLESS HER, AND THAT AUNT LAURA DOES NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS FOR LONG.  THIS IS NOT LIVING.  THEY ARE CONSTANTLY IN MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.  TODAY I GOT AN EMAIL FROM SUE...I HAVE BEEN GETTING SEVERAL A DAY.  SHE SAID THAT THEY HAVE FINALLY BROUGHT AUNT LAURA HOME TO DIE.  SHE IS ON A MORPHINE DRIP TO CONTROL THE PAIN.  SHE DOES NOT OPEN HER EYES OR SPEAK.  IF SHE WERE COHERENT WE WOULD GO TO SEE HER.  I REALLY THOUGHT I WOULD AT LEAST SEE HER IN DEC. BUT I THINK IT WILL ONLY BE A FEW DAYS BEFORE SHE PASSES AWAY.  I WILL MISS HER.  SHE AND AUNT NORA HAVE STEPPED RIGHT IN AND BEEN AS CLOSE TO HAVING MOM HERE AS POSSIBLE.  I TAKE COMFORT IN THE FACT THAT SHE WILL SEE MOM AND BEN SOON.  SHE AND UNCLE ROY...WITH LILA AND AUNT LILA WILL HAVE A JOYFUL REUNION.  I AM SURE SHE IS READY FOR THAT.  I LOVE HER SO MUCH!

THIS IS SUE AT OUR FAMILY REUNION A YEAR AND ONE HALF AGO.  SHE HAD GONE TO SO MUCH WORK.  SHE HAD GOTTEN PICTURES OF EVERY ONES  FAMILY AND PUT THEM ON DISPLAY SO WE COULD SEE HOW EVERYONE FITS IN TO THE FAMILY. WHATEVER SHE DOES.....SHE JUMPS IN WITH BOTH FEET AND DOES SUCH A WONDERFUL JOB.  I WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR HER.  SHE HAS DEALT WITH SO MANY TRIALS IN HER LIFE.  SHE WORKED TO SUPPORT HER 7 OR 8 CHILDREN WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS UNFAITHFUL.  SHE STILL TAKES CARE OF CATIE..HER DAUGHTER (WHO IN HANDICAPPED)..AND WHEN SHE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO FIND A WORTHY HUSBAND AND HAPPINESS..HE PASSED AWAY WITH CANCER.  SUE, LIKE HER MOTHER, NEVER COMPLAINS.  SHE PUTS A SMILE ON HER FACE AND SERVES.  WHAT GREAT EXAMPLES THEY ARE TO ME.  I WISH I COULD BE HALF AS GOOD AS THEY ARE.  I HAVE BEEN TAUGHT BY THE VERY BEST.