Jan 10 and beyond

Taylor, Brooke with Max on her shoulders, Ellie

Friday morning we got up and I called Maren to find out what she had planned for today because it was the only day left before she had to go home in the morning.  She still needed to get dressed and so did I so we agreed to get back with each other.  She said they were thinking of going sleigh riding and she wanted to go to see Mom.

Taylor and Ellie playing, Brooke and Max behind

Larry awoke with a whole list of things that he needed to do.  Not even thinking of Maren.  We had just drove together for 24 hours and he had not mentioned the things he needed to do at the VA and that a lady had been calling him for more information on the loan.  I told him I could take the things for the loan because he thought it had to go to Layton but he said no he could do it.

I got dressed and left to see Maren. On the way I went to pick up the mail. She was at her sister-in-laws.  When I got there my phone rang and it was the lady at the loan office.  She said that Larry had told her I was going to bring the papers in and it was in Draper.  She told me how to fax the papers and what she needed.  Meantime Brinlie and Ellie are running out to welcome me and then they feel stupid because I am on my phone and cannot hug them.

I went in to see Maren and all the kids.  Landon had just left to get sleighs.  It was so fun to see them all.  The kids really seemed excited to see me.  Maren hugged me and said, "Mom, you are so skinny"  I was excited that she could feel it.  I visited with them for about 20 minutes.  Then I told her that I needed to go fax this stuff.  I also wanted to look at the mail to see if we had received our mission call yet but was disappointed that it was not there.

Taylor, Brooke, Brinlie, Ellie and Max in Front

When I got home Larry was home from the VA with his medications.  He had also gone to the county to get a paper verifying that we do not have to pay property taxes because of his disability status.  We worked on getting the things together that we needed after calling the lady again.  I had to type a letter telling what we intended to use the payout money for.

We had it almost finished when I talked to Maren again.  She was frustrated because they still had not gone sleigh riding and Landon was backing out of wanting to take her to see Grandma Jenkins again.  I suggested that I could go get Mom.  She liked that idea.

Kyle

I finished up the paper work things and then I called Mom and asked her if we could pick her up because we had to drop off some paperwork in Draper.  I was surprised that she agreed to come.  I told her that we would be there in an hour.  Then I called the lady at the office and asked if we could bring the papers in.  She said yes.  Then I called Maren and said that I was going to get Mom and I would be back in about two hours and then we would get together and get some food at Olive Garden and visit.  She and Landon agreed to that.  We left to deliver the papers and to get Mom.

Kirsten

We got back about 4:30 p.m.  We were late and so I tried to call Maren.  They were not answering their phones and not at our house.  We had come home to about 5 inches of snow in the driveway and had not thought it was most important to shovel the snow until when we got home with Mom.  Larry suggested that we go to Olive Garden and eat there because of the snow.  Just then Maren called and they were just finishing up with sleigh riding.  I told them to meet us at Olive Garden and we took off for the restaurant.

Landon

At the restaurant we asked for a table and then Maren called and said that Landon did not want to take the kids to the restaurant and he would shovel the snow if we would get food and go home to eat it.  So we cancelled the table and got take out at Olive Garden.  Then we headed home.

When we got home Larry had to shovel the front walk so we could get in.  We went in through the garage because when he got done the door was locked.  Kirsten had called and wanted to come down but did not want to go to the restaurant because of expense.  So I called her and told her to come if she could.

Larry took over and made sure the dinner got on the table while I was trying to clean up some of the Christmas decorations that he had taken down and put in a chair.  Landon had to go to get Ellie from Skylar and Gina and so we were waiting for him but I finally decided we needed to eat because Mom likes to eat early and it was about 7:00 p.m. by then.  I got a few picture while we were waiting.

Maren and Grandma Zina Jenkins looking at Taylor at the last minute

It turned out to be a great night.  We had a ton more food than we needed so it was good that Kirsten came with most of her family.  They kids had fun playing their electronic equipment together and Landon and Larry got the snow shoveled for us.  And Grandma and Maren and Kirsten and I had a great time talking and visiting.

Finally we decided that we needed to take Grandma home because it was getting late.  We got everyone in their cars and said goodbye to Landon and Maren and their kids as we would not see them again because they were leaving in the morning.

On Saturday I woke up to a text from Maren that they did not leave because Max started throwing up at about 2:00 a.m.  They had scheduled their flight for the next day.  I texted her that I had to go to the Family History Center and then to Rob Benton's Funeral and then I would call her.

Sad looking Taylor

Marion Peterson the supervisor for the Family History Center came and had another person with her so that Larry and I could go to the viewing and the funeral.  So, we were only at the Family History Center for about 1and an half hours.  In that time I spent my time trying to figure out how to change the portrait picture for Joseph Thomas Murdock and was not successful.

Rob Benton has been our home teacher for about 2 years now and he has been our neighbor for 15 years.  We were shocked when Maren called while we were still in Texas and said that he had been killed in a car accident.  Later we learned that he was run over by a truck from the other company that shares a loading dock with his company.  He was run over on Monday morning and died early Tuesday morning.  He had massive internal chest injuries and they said because he was on blood thinners for his heart that they could not get the bleeding to stop.

We went to the viewing at 9:30 and then we went to the funeral at 11:00 a.m.  It was a good funeral.  He was a well loved man and had lots of family there.  His first wife died and the last two wives he had he was divorced from so his married kids were leading the show.  They said that he was coherent for the morning but that they had put him in a drug induced coma when he got to the hospital.  He did not look like himself at the viewing.  There was a lot of swelling in the face. I learned that he had been a great fisherman at one time.

I volunteered, when they called me while I was in  New Mexico, to help with the luncheon because I didn't feel like making food.  I was surprised that I was there helping until about 3:30 p.m.  But I got a good lunch.  Not Weight Watchers approved.

Larry wanted to go to the gym when we got finished.  So we went for an hour and a half.  Then I called Maren to see what she wanted to do.  She asked if we could come over to Evan and Shirley's house.  So we went over there.

We had a good time talking and playing with the kids. Max seemed to be feeling okay now. Maren was frustrated because I kept trying to answer Nathan as he was texting me about a problem so she thought I was ignoring her and playing with my phone.

Maren with all the kids piled on top of her playing.

Larry got a shot of Maren playing with her kids.  They were all on top of her.  They ordered some Chinese food and even though we should not have eaten it we did have some and it was good.  Again we said goodbye to them. Their plane was to leave at midnight so they were keeping the kids up hoping they would sleep.  This time they left and there were notes on Facebook about their travel.

So today was Sunday.  We had church time change for the first time today.  We are now on the 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. schedule.  It was a good three meetings but nothing that stood out to me today.

Our other home teacher came home teaching today as he and Rob would come today but life has a way of being fragile.  It was good to talk to Winston Freeze.  He said that he had lived by Rob for 37 years.  Even knew him before he became active in the church.  He said that he just blossomed when he became active.

It snowed about an inch last night so we went out and shoveled after lunch.

The rest of today I have been trying to catch up on the blog and watching television with Larry.