Heartfelt Tribute

My sweet Mother-In-Law passed away just over a week ago. We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for the privilege of having her with us for as long as we did and for the plan of happiness- We know we will be with her again.

It just seems right to add a few things that I admire about her.

She NEVER complained...she had every right to, but I never heard a complaint from her about anything.

She always had a smile on her face.

She was always happy to see me.

She loved the gospel and we watched many BYU devotionals together.

She loved spending time with her family and it didn't matter what we were doing-

Disneyland vacations- her favorite ride was Soarin' Over California

Family dinners

Horse races

ball games

She loved doing puzzles and spent hours completing variety puzzle books.

She loved flowers- all of them. One of the first things that she would mention when we'd visit were her beautiful flowers that her friend brought her every week.

She had a great sense of humor. I occasionally saw that side of her. After Wes and I were engaged, I was in the kitchen with her while Wes and Reed did chores. She asked me when we were getting married. I told her I wasn't sure. She let me know that she hoped it was soon because she was getting tired of doing his laundry. When she was able to come see our new home just before we moved in, she said something really funny- and I think I'm the only one who knew she was joking. When they wheeled her into the library- and told her what room it was before she went in- they turned her toward the bookshelves that make up the entire wall. She looked right at the shelves and asked just where the books went. Hysterical!!

She was a FANTASTIC cook! (Self made I later learned) Some of my favorites that she made were:

Homemade bread- she made THE BEST!

Chocolate Chew cookies

Chocolate Cake- she always cut out the middle of the cake for Wes.

BBQs

Jet Oven chicken and Parmesan potatoes

Revel Bars

Rolls

and she taught me the best way to make turkey steaks!

She loved all of her step grandchildren as much as her blood grandchildren. As a matter of fact, I don't think I ever heard any mention of "step". They were all her grandkids and she was so proud of each and everyone of them. This means so much to me. A few years after Wes and I were married she let me know that we better hurry and have some more grandchildren for her while she could still hold them. She was so excited to find out we were having twins! When she finally got to hold them, her face glowed!

She was able to see each of her children become grandparents and held each of her great-grandchildren. The same glow was on her face each time.

She was always more concerned with others than herself.

She always served others. When Wes and I were dating, I remember spending the night multiple times at their home the evening before horse races. Reed and Yetta always left with the horses before I got up. Without fail, she always fixed something for Wes and I to eat. She left pancakes or she would cut a bowl of peaches for me to have (she loved them as much as I do). I'm sure this was not easy for her to do, but she did it because she loved us!

She loved old movies and love stories. Some that I watched with her were:

An Affair to Remember

Sabrina

Paint Your Wagon

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

She was always kind.

She had the courage to create her life story for us. The nice people from hospice helped her do this and we have it on DVD. What a special treasure it is.

She and Reed have the sweetest love for one another. It is a treasure, true, unconditional and eternal. I know that's how Wes and I are too. I am so blessed to have a husband that grew up in that kind of home. I am his treasure and he is mine.



A few weeks before her passing, I was able to spend a few hours with her. She told me that really soon she would be able to get up and come to our house. She knew that they'd find a way for her to do so. She also asked me if I wanted anything of hers. I refused and she still was insistent that I choose something to take home with me. I finally got up the courage to tell her what I had wanted to for a very long time. I told her that I already had the one thing that meant the most to me and that was greater than any other thing that she could offer. I told her that I have her sweet son as a husband and that she had done a wonderful job raising him to be the great man he is. She was a perfect mother.