It's nice to be home again

I arrived back home from Utah late Sunday night. It was quite the experience. So many thoughts, feelings, emotions that I hardly know what to do with it all.

My step-grandma died early Thursday morning. This was a relief because of the amount of suffering she had been going through. I did get to see her and give her my love and tell her good-bye. If you are interested you can read her obituary here. Her picture is beautiful. She had it taken several years ago with the intent that it would be her obituary picture. She was a classy lady to the very end.

As I mentioned in my last post, Betsy was my grandma's sister. My grandma died when I was 14. Within a year of her passing my grandpa married Betsy. She was a good wife to him and took good care of him. He had been caring for my grandma for so long that is was nice to have someone look after him for a change. Betsy was kind and loving, in her own way. At a time when I was going through a tremendous amount of emotional pain and heartache she tried to offer help and concern by saying, "Well, Amanda, you just have to keep taking off the band-aid to see if it's all better and you just make it worse." Not exactly what I needed or wanted to hear at the time, but she was right. Betsy was known for her less than "gentle" love but she was a great person and I am grateful to have known her. It was nice to see my grandpa too. Seeing as how he is 94, I don't know how much longer he will be with us.

My brother-in-law is fairing okay. He has a long road of recovery yet, but he will be okay. He is struggling with pain and the frustration of being unable to just get over it. His condition could be so much worse. The doctors have told him more than once that he is lucky he was not paralyzed. A small consolation though at the moment. My sister and the kids are hanging in there despite all that they have been through. This has been a tough year for my sister and her family. Earlier this year my sister underwent heart surgery. Followed by her daughter being in the hospital with a painful bone infection. I told her when Brian is all better they need a vacation!

My family survived without me. From the moment my mom asked me to come to Utah I knew that my family would be okay here. We live in a great ward and I knew that there were several sisters I could count on to help out with the kids. Sure enough. One sister, our Relief Society President, picked up the kids from school each day and kept them until Scott got home from work. She even made dinner and cookies and other treats for my family. What a relief!

All in all it was an eventful week. I am glad to be home though and get back to "normal" life.