a massive trip (pics to come)

With the passing of my dear friend's wife, we decided that we really needed to be there for the funeral. So we packed up and left. 14 hours to Denver (with a brief stop in Topeka for another State Capital).

We changed into clothes in the church parking lot and went into the viewing. And there I got to hug my friend for a very long time. I must say it was the saddest viewing I have ever been to. She was a beautiful young mother (the age of my little sis) and so didn't deserve what happened. She left behind three babies, her family, in laws and Eldon. The funeral the next day was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. And while the graveside service was cold (it had snowed during the night) I was touched to watch how Eldon explained to his daughters what was happening to the casket and how he held onto his baby boy as he dedicated the ground where she will wait.

We headed off to capture Denver's Capital building and attend Jax's basketball game (which he rocked) and then had fun times with the Rozeskis. Which reminded me how much fun it is to have such great friends that you can do and say almost anything with and it's all okay.

We got up very early (4:30 am) to head up to Cheyenne's Capital and stood in -2 degrees to capture the picture at 6:30 AM in the morning. I'm sure you can imagine how much fun the kids had with that one after we woke them up :). But one day they'll laugh and we are down one more state. Taking us to over 1/5 of the United States at this point. (seriously..I can't wait for Alaska and Hawaii)

We then drove home for 14 hours and in 3 days have done what I could never imagine possible. Heather was known for her "gratitudings" so in her honor I wanted to end with these:

I'm grateful for friends that are the same no matter how long it's been, for hugs and kisses from the kids, for Rozeskis who open their homes and hearts and babysit our kids and put beds together that fall so that they know everything that goes on :)..., for a husband who drove even though he was so unbelievably tired to get a daughter home for a field trip, for the fact that I can sit cross legged for hours at a time in a car since we are blessed with so much stuff that needed to go at my feet, for another day with my kids and family and most of all for tender mercies from the Lord. I'm grateful my family is close and that I can spend Christmas with them and all be together, I'm grateful for my sister who is 'practically perfect in everyway' and for my Andy who is, as always, just a step above but willing to help me up, I'm grateful the snow came after we got there and left before we drove home and there is so much more...but I am thankful.