"To live, to struggle, to be in love with life - in love with all life holds, joyful or sorrowful - is fulfilment. The fullness of life is open to all of us." -Betty Smith

Miles for Melanoma

One of Angela's good friends, Allison Aiken, is going to run the DC Marine Corps Marathon in October and is raising money for the Melanoma Research Foundation, in honor of Angela. I wanted to help her in spreading her message, so I've put a link on the sidebar if anyone is interested in helping her out. Thanks to Allison for thinking of Ang and our family!

All of Angela's funeral events were last week, and were really sweet and comforting. So many people sent beautiful arrangements of flowers, which we loved and appreciated. It's been wonderful to be surrounded by all their beauty. Thank you for all the sweet thoughts and messages during the past two weeks. Most of us are back home now and appreciating this time to spend as a family.

Birthday Party

Clara's birthday was last week, but we had her party yesterday. She has been talking about it for months: she wanted to go to the pool, and have a cake and balloons. She and Sarah helped me make the cake, which they loved. (Especially wearing their aprons.)

The morning started out with Mickey Mouse "waff-waffs," which she was super excited about.


Sarah helped Clara look at the cake before we ate it. So cute.



Clara loved her side walk chalk and the pajamas that her Grandma made for her. She is glad to finally be 2!

Disney World

I realized I hadn't posted any pictures of Clara since January...oops. At the beginning of April my family went to Disney World, which was Clara's first time. My sisters taught her who all the Disney characters were, and she had a great time. The first day we went to Magic Kingdom it poured and then drizzled all day. But it kept the lines down. (You can barely see Cinderella's Castle.)

Also, Clara still had her cast on, and we were able to get a pass where we could use her stroller as a wheelchair. This let us go in all the Fast Pass lines and in the wheelchair entrances to all the rides. It was wonderful! Angela got this pass once because of her cancer, and she loved it. She absolutely loved Disney World.
Clara also loved eating her first Mickey ice cream bar. Can't you tell?

Angela

My sweet older sister Angela passed away on Saturday as a result of cancer. Angela was diagnosed with melanoma in 1999, which has gotten worse over the past few years. My whole family was with her and it was a tender and sweet experience.

Angela was always the sweetest older sister to me. She'd let me follow her around the house, made up dance routines for me and my friends, introduced me to the Beatles. She wrote me lots of letters on her mission, we shared a car during my freshman year at BYU, and went to several Salt Lake City Olympic events together.

Most of all, Angela was an incredible example to me of kindness, graciousness and love. She had a testimony of her Savior Jesus Christ and his Resurrection. She loved the temple and loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and helped me to gain my testimony. I'm grateful we'll be sisters forever.

Here are the funeral arrangements:
Myrtle Beach, SC: Viewing at McMillan-Small Funeral Home from 6-8 pm on Monday, April 27. Funeral service: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, April 28.

Salt Lake City Utah: Viewing at Larkin Sunset Lawn Mortuary (2350 E 1300 S) from 6-8 pm on Friday, May 1. Funeral service at the LDS Church building (2795 Crestview Dr, SLC) at 12:00 noon on Saturday, May 2. Angela will be laid to rest in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Our life

Hi everyone! Lots has been going on in our family these days.

We came to South Carolina on Friday and have been sorting and unpacking ever since. Jason started working today and I'm sure he's glad to have something to do. Clara has had fun playing with her little cousins, too.

Clara now has a hard purple cast on her right leg, which she doesn't seem to mind. She has had it on since March 25 and learned how to walk on it about a week ago. She has a cute little limp, which should resolve itself sometime after she has her cast removed on the 20th. (Her baby also got a cast--in pink.)

General Conference this weekend was really wonderful. We watched it on the Internet and tried to listen over Clara. It was comforting and edifying to hear the Prophet and Apostles speak to us of the Atonement, the Comforter, eternal families, temples, trials and enduring to the end.

We were sad to leave Utah, but we're looking forward to the future and living in WV. Clara will get to see her cousins a lot and hopefully a lot of my family will be together for a while.