Life After Death

I haven't been in much a "blogging" mood lately. However, I feel that I need to write something happier. I wrote my last blog while I was back in Oregon, only a few days after Charlie died. It was somber, sad, and devastating...but understandably so. But I need to tell everyone that I am not sad all the time...Yes, I do cry a lot still...but we are trying to make good memories so that the days go by a little easier. Right now I am in my basement dwelling watching the BYU football game with family and friends, who might as well be family.

The grandest thing we have done since "The Incident" was go to Alaska. However, I will blog about it next. That is a story all in itself. We have been busy lately trying to get our house ready to build, working, and rock climbing. Devan and Price have been to trying to do more mountain biking and are usually accompanied by either Russ or Callie.

Russ also spent one Saturday utilizing Devan's welding expertise. Last year Russ rolled his four-wheeler and scrunched it into a ball of plastic and steel. After much work, it is starting to resemble an ATV again.

My parents are doing as well as can be expected. Becky and kids are living with them for time being until she can get into her own place. It is weird to think that life goes on. We all still want to stay home and pay respect to Charlie by thinking only of him...24/7. But we can't!!! There is life after death. We have gone back to work...back to the hum drum of our every day lives. It is a weird feeling that I wish I could express. We all continue to progress here in our earthly state...being tested...sometimes by things that we think there is no way we can handle them. I try to think of all the great things in my life that I should be thankful for. I have a wonderful husband and a great family. My friends are wonderful and very near and dear to my heart. I still have a job...and let's face it...in this economy, that is a miracle all in itself. I have many things to make me happy...and so I try to focus on them. This picture for example makes me laugh out loud.

I think my cat is yawning, but I prefer to think that she is sticking her tongue out at that camera.
Some words of advise to end this hopefully happier blog. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS tell those that you love that you "love them." Both my parents and myself were fortunate in that the last words we all ever said to Charlie were "I Love You." REMEMBER HUGS. The last physical contact I had with Charlie was a hug. I gave him a huge hug when he was leaving to go back home to Oregon. Those 2 things give me great peace of mind. I am blessed to have those memories of him just as much as I was blessed to get to live with him and know him for 24 years.