Aunt Amy

 "We can’t fully appreciate joyful reunions later without tearful separations now. The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life."

My Aunt Amy was in town this past June and came to our family dinner that Sunday night.  Her husband and 5 children were also traveling with her.  It was fun to see her and catch up.  It was her first time meeting Maddux, and seeing me after I found out I was pregnant (last July).

My sister brought mini m&ms to the dinner and we all played a little get to know you game. Each person got a handful of candy; if you picked a green m&m you had to tell everyone the craziest thing you've ever eaten.  Each color had a different question.  Amy had to tell her most embarrassing moment, and she said "I just don't embarrass easily".   One of her older girls had to answer the most exciting place she traveled, and Amy helped her answer that they went on a fun cruise.

AuntAmy and my brother Darren.  This was the Sunday at my Mom's.

A few weeks later, I heard she was in the hospital and had a lot of blood clots.  At that point I was told she was really sick.  I was so surprised, because Amy was always so healthy.  I felt sad for her being in the hospital, but was confident she would get better.

When I was in Seattle on the way to my birthday dinner, I got a text from my mom that read "Aunt Amy has cancer ;(" .  I was so surprised and saddened by the news.  But still, I thought she would recover, maybe go bald, but live on.

I felt like every update got worse.  It was stage 4 cancer that started in the lung.  Again, this was so unbelievable; she was the poster child for well-being. I was contemplating going up one weekend to see her, and help with her 5 kids.

My mom called me at work about 3PM on July 23rd and told me she passed away.  I cried when I heard the news.  She was so sweet, and I hope she knew how much her family loved her. 

Some good memories for me:

• I was really little (still in a car seat) and Amy and Kristen were teaching me how to chew with my mouth closed.

• My grandpa owned 40 acres of mountain property in Cedar, where we would have our family reunions.  All the cousins were excited when Aunt Amy arrived, and she would play capture the flag and freeze tag with us.

• Visiting Amy at her dorm in Provo and her giving my sister and I celery sticks with peanut butter.  She taught me that protein keeps you feeling fuller longer. 

• She couldn't come all the way down to my wedding, but she sent a gift with my mom to give to me. It is a white clock that we still  have in our entry way.
  

We made it up for the viewing on Friday night.  Her kids are so well behaved; they had a wonderful mom.  After the viewing my sister and our families went to Kneaders.  I have been wanting to try this place out, and it was good.   My sister drove up with a itty bitty new born baby!

Maddux and Taycee- 6 months apart.

Her funeral was a beautiful service.  She was only 38; just a few years older than my oldest sister, so they were a lot more like sisters than aunt/niece.    My sister gave a talk at the funeral.

On the way home, I was reading the program again, and saw that Brendan and Quinton were Honorary Paul Berrors.  It made me cry again.  Those are her youngest kids, 3 and 16 months (at the time). 

While in Utah, we went to dinner with my Mom at the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.   The restaurant opened their roof for this girl who was having a birthday.   The birthday girl let go of a balloon and let it fly in the sky.  My mom was able to do the same thing.  She got a blue balloon (Amy's favorite color) and let it fly up to the sky.  It swirled and danced on its way up.

When I saw her this past June a few of us were having a conversation about changing diapers.  She said, "Kari can now relate - do you think after so many diaper changes you should automatically go to heaven?"  I laughed and asked if getting pooped ON by a baby counted.  She said, "Yes, that counts, too!"

Well, for many other reasons, besides changing diapers, I know my Aunt is in heaven.  It was so sad to have her time on earth seem so short, but it is comforting knowing the plan of salvation, and that her children will live with her again.