I don’t like death.

I think death is stupid and sad.  If it were up to me, no one would ever die.  No one should lose a parent, or sibling, or really anyone they know.  It is just unacceptable. 

I am sitting on an airplane flying back from California.  I just attended my Uncle Stan's funeral.   One of the hardest parts of this (except for the fact that my uncle is dead) is the fact that my parents are on an LDS mission to Latvia.  It was really hard that they couldn’t come and be with family in this time of grieving and celebration of life. 

These ocean views are off his back deck.  Incredible, aren’t they?

I am in love with these 2 palm trees. 

This photo is of  (Right to left) my cousin Genevieve, only 23 and no father.  No grandfather for her children.  It just breaks my heart.   Then is is my Aunt Cathy.  38 years of marriage and now a widow.  Just not okay.  Next is my cousin Sarah and her baby Daniel.  

This is my Aunt Judy.  She was so wonderful with helping us get our hotel and also for flying to CA.  I am locationally challenged so her information was really helpful.  She is reminding me more and more of my Grandma. 

Uncle Stan built and his niece on my Aunt Cathy’s side decorated this oasis in their hot tub room.  It was just beautiful.  They have an open roofed room in their house right outside of the master suite that sounds like a waterfall or a rain storm.  Just beautiful.  They did a great job with it.



Visiting before the memorial service.

See, I am in love with these trees.

This is inside of the chapel.  he was cremated, so that is his urn , trophy from college and a photo of him on the table.  The service was beautiful.  I liked that they opened it up for people to speak so you could hear of the different aspects of his life that we weren’t apart of.  Like his work.  Brian read parts of a letter that my dad had written to Aunt Cathy and he also added a few of his Uncle Stan moments in.  He did a great job.  I was really proud of him.  He had everyone crying and laughing.   


After the service, we went to a resort just down the beach from their house, for a reception.  It was nice.  We just sat outside and visited while we enjoyed the ocean and sunshine.  Here is a table with some photos at the reception.



You are probably wondering why I put this photo in.  It is a funny story.  So Brian was opening glass evian bottled water for us.  (Who drinks bottled water out of a glass bottle, right? Okay, so I am not a very fancy person.)  and he broke the bottle opener,  Ha ha.  It was hard not to bust out laughing, but  I may not be fancy, but my mama did teach me manners. 
We had a quick photo session on the beach.  I grabbed a shell before we left.  Sad news, I left it in CA.  depressing, huh?

It was really fun to have the siblings together but we were missing one and that is just not okay.  Stupid death.  It was nice to have JoLyn there so at least there were 6 of us.  But I still hate death. 




Why didn’t anyone tell me I look ginormous when I stand sidewaysish.  Uggggg


Then we got Denise to the airport so she could meet up with her family in Vegas, baby.


We changed clothes then went back to Aunt Cathy’s house.  we chatted with Aunt Judy for a while, then went to have some mexican hot chocolate.  They were all dancing to African music and throwing an orange around the circle.  See it flying in the air?


JoLyn and I decided that if you can’t beat them, join them.  After all, we had never played a drunk dancing game, chucking oranges at others  before. 

My cousin Ken, I haven’t seen him for years.  It was fun to see him all growed up.  Actually, he looks the same, just longer hair. 

Here we are on our way out.  I don’t know that name of the little girl with Bella the dog,  She just decided to jump in.  She is from the other side of the family and I am horrible with names.

And now here I am on my flight back.  Still hating death. 

As much as my family drives me nuts (families are hard, aren’t they? ) I can’t imagine anyone else dying. We just have such a good time together.  Even with my parents in Latvia, I was skyping my mom and dad trying to get Denise and Laura's flights changed.  They were coming home from Europe and it took hours and hours of emails and text messages and phone calls to figure everything out.  (and that was the day after Sis and I had spent hours working on our flights. )It was so nice to have my parents with me.  In fact, the airline lady could hear my mom talking over the computer.   Don’t you love technology?  Well, when it works I guess.  But just for the record, Denise and Laura did bring me back a cute Christmas tree deco and a beatles keychain. . .  from London.  How awesome is that?  (I did want Mary Poppins or the Super Nanny, but a the keychain is the next best thing.)
So I guess the moral of this blog today is to hug your family.  Smile more, yell less and just be an overall nice person.  And if death strikes anyone else I know, I am going to have to go postal!!!!