Every year on the Saturday before Memorial Day we gather together as a family and head to the cemetery to put flowers on my relatives grave. This year it ended up only being my mother and my siblings and me. Here are some of the pictures of the fun time we had....
Here are a couple of the graves that we put flowers on...
Clint and Rachel Jaime and Monique Vince, Lafe and Hannah, Greg, Savannah and Jenny
I did it! I officially spent my first night out camping! It was an amazing experience and I loved it.... For those of you who doubted me, I just totally proved you wrong! We ended up spending the rest of the day at The Stairs... Here are some more of our pictures.
Over the past few weeks I have been pondering about how to make myself the person that I want to be. I finally realized that I have an amazing life and I wouldn't take anything back that has happened to me because it has made me the person I am today, but at the same time I have felt that something was missing.... something big. I realized that I don't really know who I am. I am now off on a quest to find myself.
I have spent a lot of time pondering in the temple and for the first time in a while I have felt peace. I finally feel that I am on the right path and I am so grateful to have a temple close by to go to on a regular basis.
At counseling the other day I had a long talk with my counselor about the best way to figure out what is best for me and the best way to figure out who I am. I left the counseling session feeling more hope than I have felt in a long time. I really enjoyed my session for the first time in a long time and felt like I got something from my counselor. I will keep everyone posted on my findings.
With today being Easter Sunday and with the recent events that have been going on in my life over the past few weeks, I have spent the day reflecting on my life and on the atonement and the impact that it has had in my life.
I am so grateful for my Savior and for the sacrifice he made in my behalf. I have taken it for granted many times in my life but I am now ready to move forward with my life and become the person that I am meant to become.
I am grateful for the opportunity that I had to partake of the sacrament at church this afternoon. This is another thing that I have taken for granted in the past. It really is amazing to have an understanding of the symbolism of the sacrament.
I am grateful for my family and for the love and support I receive from them. My family has been amazing, especially when I was struggling this weekend. I knew that I could count on my mom to be there by my side. She gave me some amazing advice that I plan on following. I am also grateful for my father who is no longer here on earth. I feel his presence and he helps me to make the right choices.
I am grateful for the opportunity that I have to attend the temple. It really is an amazing place and a place where I can feel the spirit strongly. I am excited for the opportunity I have to return to the temple and partake of the blessings inside.
I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to read my scriptures and say my prayers on a daily basis. In these few short days I have seen a major change in my life. I have started to become the person that I know I can be.
I am also grateful for the trials that I have had in the past few days. While I hate going through them (especially all the drama). I know that they are given to me for a wise purpose. Through meeting these trials I know that it will make me the person I want to be.
I am grateful for my best friend Mike. He has been an amazing strength to me. Without him I would still be lost. He has taught me a lot in the past few months. He has taught me how to trust, how to communicate better, the importance of the gospel in my life, and how to find love. I will be eternally grateful to him.
Over the last few days I have been pondering a lot about my dad and the emotions I have been feeling since losing him. I have really struggled with losing my dad and have not been able to figure out how to move forward with my life. It seems like every time I take a step forward, something happens and I end up taking many steps back.
One thing that I have always enjoyed doing is writing. When I was younger I would constantly write short stories. The night that my dad died, I went to bed and had this amazing dream and after waking up the next morning I wrote a tribute to my dad. I wanted to dedicate this blog to his memory....
A Tribute to my Dad
There was a young boy who went by Bill
He came to earth to do God’s will.
He was born on a winter’s day
To a mother named Ida Mae.
His family moved from state to state
And he was taught to never be late.
On his way to school a lion jumped out
He wanted to run and scream and shout.
He ran all the way home to see his mom
She grabbed his hand and said, “Come along”
She ended up dragging him back to school
And I am sure that he felt just like a fool.
His father taught him for service strive
This is why we are all alive
We should do everything that we can
To help out our fellow man.
He really looked up to his brother Jim
He always loved to follow after him.
He loved to pretend to be a pitcher named Jim Horse
His nephew
His mission call came one August day
To
He thought to himself he was very prepared
But once he got on a bike he was very scared.
This was the one thing his parents did not teach
They only taught him how to preach.
The very first day that he was out
His companion did scream and shout,
“Look out! There’s a semi coming your way!
There in the hospital he did lay.
He laid in the hospital all alone
From then on he was known as “Crash Malone”.
Once his mission was through
He had no idea what to do.
He found a pretty girl named Connie Rae
He planned to ask her out one autumn day.
He finally found the nerve
As they were running around a curve.
He tripped on a sprinkler head and there he fell
Of this situation he did not want to dwell.
They went out one October night
They tried to talk with all their might
Two months later they were married
Through the household Connie was carried.
They lived just like a queen and king
Four little spirits they took under their wing.
Whitney Paige, Ammon Curtis, Cori Linn and Jaime Rae
This really made both of their day.
This family grew up and sports they did play
They played together nearly every single day.
This family became close, as close as can be
Of this anybody who looks can see.
A theater my dad had dreams to run
To him this sounded so much fun.
He told us stories of Lulu, Butch and Squirt
And he always knew how to flirt.
Charlie and Peanut head were another one
We always had so much fun.
He always made sure that we were never scared
For this task he was always prepared
He taught his children how to ride a bike
This is something we all grew to like.
Whenever his children would come to him and weep
He would hold us and sing us to sleep.
He taught us how to work with all our might
He taught us to know wrong from right.
He totally adored his loving wife
She was the love of his life.
Jaime was daddy’s little girl
He always treated her like a pearl.
With Cori he watched movies day and night
Those two together, oh what a sight!
He wanted his children to have a good life
He even helped Ammon to find a wife.
Whitney always gave him a run for his money
So he would go to her and act really funny.
Rykert was his newest joy
He was grandpa’s little boy.
My daddy died on the first of July
As of right now we aren’t sure why
One thing we know is that it is part of God’s plan
We know Dad is teaching as many as he can.
Dad you are the best
You are better than all the rest.
Dad, I love you more than words can say.
And I know our family will be back together some day
With all my love, your daughter Jaime Rae.
