Coming Up for Air

Ever since my parents got home from their mission, I feel like we've been on a flat-out run.  I'm sure it's not the case, but it seems like we've been traveling, getting ready to travel, recovering from traveling, hosting guests, prepping for the holidays, cleaning up from the holidays, enjoying the holidays, helping missionaries get ready, or working.  It has been a delightful whirlwind of activity, but I'm not going to lie.  It feels kind of good to land for at least a few weeks.  I seriously wouldn't have it any other way.  That said, I have no idea where to begin in terms of blogging.

Rachel has left for her service in the Atlanta Georgia North mission, but since we haven't heard from her yet and my mother heart is still a little tender, I'll wait to blog about that.  Getting hyper-emotional too frequently can't be good for my health.  We hope to get a letter or e-mail VERY soon.  I'll update her status once I hear something.

Great Grandma Young Goes Home (capital "H")

In the midst of our many activities, Mike's Grandma Young passed away on December 30, 2011.  While death is always hard, I was happy that she got to go Home.  She was 93 years young and endured decades of pain with deteriorating joints and a bad back.  She had several joints replaced, but still, she struggled to get around.  Thankfully, her decline was very rapid at the end, and she had only about ten days of being very incapacitated.  I counted that as a great blessing.

Mike's cousin, Mandy, took this picture of Grandma and Grandpa
on Christmas Eve.  Grandpa just sat with her for about an hour that night.
Seeing this picture made me want to weep and rejoice all at the same time.

Grandma was an awesome, spunky lady.  My first memory of her is when Mike took me to Burley to meet her and Grandpa about 25 years ago.  We talked some, and then Grandma challenged me to a game of ping pong.  I'm thinking, "Okay, I'll be nice and play her, but I'm not really going to try that hard.  What would it say about me if I was trying to beat up on a 70-year old?"  Well, we started to play, and I quickly realized I was going to have to give it my best effort to win.  I can't remember who won, but I do remember coming away very impressed.  Grandma was my kind of gal!

Her funeral was a lovely affair.  She requested that it last an hour, and I think we only went over by about five or ten minutes.  It was a powerful feeling to walk in with so many of her family members.  She had 4 children, 25 grandchildren, 95 great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren (with two more on the way).  Add all the rest of us in-laws, and we filled up almost the entire middle section of the chapel by ourselves.  I looked around at these amazing people I call extended family and hoped that Grandma was looking down with lots of love and just a bit of pride.

My heart broke a little for Grandpa.  These two would have marked 75 years of marriage this June.  Wow!!  Who stays married that long these days?!  When my sister-in-law, Barbie, met up with Grandpa, she said, "Grandma looks beautiful, Grandpa."  He responded, "I wish I could see her!"   He lost his vision several years ago, but he is still plugging along.  He always wanted to make it to 100, but I wonder if his motivation will be as strong now that Grandma is gone.  He looks amazingly spry for almost 99!  I hope Mike inherited his longevity.

I was pleased that so many of us were able to gather to honor her.  Aunt Susan got some pictures of the whole lot of us, but my camera wasn't in the mix to get that shot.  My daughter did get a photo of the Farrell Young family.  All but six of us were there, and it was a sweet reunion.


I married well!  (And so did Mike!)

Sneak Peek at Sister Young

I was very pleased that Rachel got to attend the funeral.  It was held just four days before she entered the MTC.  It gave her a chance to say "goodbye" to many of her extended family members, and she even got to see Mike's parents.  (Mom and Dad Young were allowed to come home from their service in the Hermosillo Mexico Temple for the funeral.)  We were smart and at least got a picture of her with her Grandma Young.  Unfortunately, I think Grandpa Young was off helping Great Grandpa Young.


So, there's your sneak peek of the missionary.  I'll pound out a few paragraphs later in the week.  To be honest, I'm getting kind of choked up just looking at the above photograph.  Has she really only been gone for five days?!  Life is good, and I wouldn't have her any place else.  But I miss my girl!!