Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Ive been thinking and thinking this past week at how precious life is. How amazing my family is and how grateful I am to have the knowledge of the Plan of Happiness My friend and neighbor died exactly a week ago. She went into have her beautiful baby girl, Frances, and ended up getting a horrible infection. STSS. The infection was too strong and quick for the dr.'s to contain and very quickly her body shut down. They kept her on lifesupport so that her sister who was out of the country could come and say goodbye. Last Wed with her husband by her side she passed. What I remember... I remember being in her "Minute to Win it" group at an FHE activity. And thats when I met her. I had Indee. She was two weeks old and her little boy Edward was 8 weeks old. I remember thinking how great she looked and asked her questions like : How long are u supposed to wait to work out? and she told me 6 weeks and just laughed at my not so happy reaction. There was a funny incident outside about chalk and then not too long after going inside with Indee I received a funny email entitled " I Like chalk". It made me laugh then and still makes me laugh every time I think of it. She was always outside with her kids and a book in hand and I always interrupted and talked to her. Im sure she would have rather read her book but she was always so cheerful and smiley as we talked. She would always be carrying her laundry to the laundry mat and all of us moms would try to help but she wouldnt let us:) Even when she was 9 mos pregnant and carrying, what looked to be, 6 loads of laundry. All of us moms would watch in amazement! We would go to the same reading group and she would always read the book whether it was good or not. I wouldnt always and I would always ask her about the book to decide if I was actually going to read it or not:) Just a couple of weeks ago we were at a baby shower and I was asking my friend if I could use her phone, but I accidentily kept saying "Alice" in stead of my friends name and Alice was looking all over to see if her phone was with her. I wasnt eve looking at her. She must have thought Iw as soo nuts... But when I realized that I was saying "Alice" instead of my other friends name Alice and I just started laughing and then everyone else there joined in:) The night before Alice had her baby she was sitting out on the steps in front of her house! I stopped to laugh with her about how Frances still wasnt here and she commented on some soup that I had made a few says prior. She was so full of life and I can still hear her laugh and see her smiling face from that conversation. She literally was just so full of life. She was always laughing and smiling. She had the biggest smile! She always made you feel like you were such a great friend! Being here at Wymount you see eachother everyday- all the time, especially the moms because our kids are playing outside everyday together. You know that you wont be around them except for a few short years because we are all student families and we all move on to different adventures. We never ever thought that we would lose such an amazing woman. I was lucky enough to be able to help out at the funeral and the luncheon. I was walking through a hall getting things situated and ready for her family to come and I came up on Kurt, her husband, as soon as he got there. We both exchanged tears and he told me how Alice loved me and he asked me to pray for her. That she really needed them. I never realize how hard it must be for her as well. She is in a better place but this was so sudden for her as well. They are such an example to us. Alice has taught me to be a better mother, wife and friend and to love life and love it the way that it is given to us. Kurt has been so strong through this. HE loves her so much and you can see his love for her as he continues to care for his two little boys and his newborn child! I cant believe this happened and I am still in shock. My heart goes out to her and her wonderful family. I know our Father in Heaven loves each one of us and is very aware of the situation. I know how much he loves each one of us and I am so greatful for Jesus Christ and the Atonement. Because of it Kurt and his beautiful Alice will live together forever. And because of it I will be able to live with my little family forever!