It's been a long month to say the least.Where to start....hmmm.
Let's see I never ended up at the pageant, so it'll be a LONG time before I ever see it again.
Well I went back to work...Yay! (only because I need money),I dyed Mom's hair, well highlighted it actually, and she didn't mine, but it didn't work the first time so we had to get actual blonde, which didn't all show up either and what did has mostly faded now, haha. Danielle and I started Dorm/apartment shopping. The first time we went the whole cart was pink! haha Some of the Church kids all went swimming that was crazy fun! Only when they swam back out to the beach I stayed and talked to my lifeguard friend Slater on the dock.
Most of the first two weeks of August were spent working, and then going out to the cabin to hang with Anthony and Ryan, which has been a lot of fun, luckily we got to the point wear it was always too cold to swim, and I do believe I've seen Ice Age II a billion times now.
One of my Best Friends Courtney had a Birthday the 12th of this last month so my friend Kadi, and her sister Wendy threw her a surprise party the next night. haha It was way funny we played dodgeball at the church and possibly night games after, well Courtney doesn't play dodgeball, and I do...sometimes, but I usually don't so I ran errands with Courtney and she'd been totally suspicious of Kadi and Wendy...Well when Courtney and I were in Walmart (she pushed me in the cart the whole time hehe) it got REALLY dark out and we had to run back to the church where Halee and Augusta were too, which was because I had to ride with Halee out and so did Augusta and Courtney was Kadi's ride, so It was crazy we had to get water balloons in the Clarkson's car. Go Back to my house, then to Halee's then out to the Clarkson's before Courtney and Kadi got back. Luckily we made it and were all set up and had the lights off just for like 7 mins when they pulled up, I recored it, but it's pretty embrassing because I missed the whole thing haha so It's not going to go up anywhere. We had cake and Ice Cream, and chips and dip. Then Courtney busted up a Pinata, so candy as well! After we finally decided on a movie, which was really good but I totally forgot what movie it was. ha. We all just crashed after that. Halee had to leave early the next morning and Augusta had to also, but I just stayed at the Clarkson's longer, until Kadi went into town.
Mom called the Clarkson's house that afternoon like 1 or 2...and let me know that Grandpa Ward was doing bad. Really bad. Harry and Jill, so were Leslie and Mike and Shannon and Steven were on there way. So when I went home a couple hours later, Sarah and I went to Grandpa and Grandma Ward's house in Laplata. Sarah made him a card, and went to see Grandpa at the beginning and then played with Lydia our cousin. I was in the bed room for awhile too, then I went out to the living room with most everyone else and just talked for the most part.
(Grandpa Holding Uncle Harry, Years ago.)
It got to the point where Grandpa was doing really bad, and Grandma was having a hard time, and they gathered everyone into the tiny room where Grandpa was, and Uncle Steven, Mike, Harry, and my Dad, Wally gave him a blessing. Uncle Steve gave the blessing, only this time it wasn't a blessing to heal him, or have him get better by any means. The gave him a blessing of peace, that Grandpa's spirit would be released. That was the hardest part for me. It all became real then. He wouldn't be here in the same state as us. We all were in tears and for the next couple of hours we all were in and out of the room. Eventually around 10pm, I took Sarah home, then Dad came home later on that night like a midnight. Nothing had happened yet. So we all went to bed.
(August 15th, 2010)
And When I woke up in the next morning. I was up. Dad and Jeremy went early then Me and the west of my family went up around 10am. We got there just in time because the Bishopric (from Macon Branch) brought the Sacrament to our family. My cousins Jonathan and Zach blessed it and then my Brothers Jeremy and Matthew passed it to us. Then once again we all did our own thing went in saw Grandpa, spent time with him, left for a little while etc. Then a bit before 4pm Grandma Ward was singing to him the last song she sang to him was I am a child of God. Uncle Mike (I think) came and got everyone who was there, without saying exactly what was happening. Somehow I got stuck with the puppy Tucker, so I ran him outside in his little pin, then back inside to the room. We all knew what was coming. Everyone was in the room except for a the younger cousins. The cousins/Grandchildren who weren't in the room were: Brittany (in Oregon) Kris (in Kirksville) Mori (in Arizona I believe) Jonathan, Jeremy(both in trailer) Katie, Lydia, Matthew, Bryan, and Sarah (all at the park) Everyone else in our family was there.
After the shock was over, we got hugs from Grandma Ward, and left the room for awhile. Poor Brother Czuba he was the first one to come over after it happened. He was just dropping in after church to say Hi and whatnot, and was not expecting the bad news when Grandma answered the door. The hospice person who had been working with Grandpa filled out her papers as everyone calmed down. The the person from Travis Noe, in Laplata came and took Grandpa's body away. They were very kind and sweet about it, they asked if the sons wanted to help carry it out and stuff. Right after that. We put the house back together and the "kids" were kicked out (to the trailer) and funeral preparations began.
The Granddaughters got to decide on the bouquet of flowers from the Grandchildren Which were a red rose (Grandpa's favorite) for each Grandchild (16) and then Lilacs(Grandpa planted a bunch outside the outside awhile back).
August 17th 2010
My family traveled down to laplata around 4pm, got some dinner that families had brought over. Then just hung out with everyone until it was time to go to the visitation which started at 6pm but families go early you know? We set everything up, the slideshow, the display, and the picture board. Then looked at all the flowers and Grandpa's body. Turns out the lilacs were horrible, so they just told the person working on the bouquet to do whatever she wanted. She did an AMAZING job.
I learned that as Members of the LDS church, when you take out your endowments and you die, you will be buried in your temple clothing. Which for some reason to me that was very comforting. I mean it just makes sense, the more and more I think about it.
So many people came and visited. My visiting teacher Janet Coggins came pretty much just to see me and my Mom which was super sweet! It was kind of funny at one point you had the cousins/Grandchildren in the back talking and we all started laughing then Jonathan said you know I kind of feel bad, we're laughing at our Grandpa visitation, and there are so many people crying. I told him, I did my crying, and I'm okay now. They soon agreed with that. We all left right after the visitation and slept.
August 18th 2010
Funeral 10am.
Family be there 9am.
Got up at 7am why? Danielle was leaving that day I HAD to go say bye! I did. that was bad. I must say I really liked how my hair turned out that day. Got home grabbed pants knee brace whatever else I needed. Got in the car, and went directly to the Macon Branch Building. We were all pretty much locked away on one side of the building,(so the kids wouldn't get rowdie) Got to meet some more people I'm related to. Oh Bruce and his wife do wedding cakes! and Catering. Good to know for future purposes. lol. Then my cousins and brother started joking with me about marriage. They sound just like Courtney and Kadi! ha. And when I said cousins. I meant Jonathan and Kelcey mainly, Jonathan a lot though He said something to the extent of "Elder's going to come home off the airplane ring in hand and be like MARRY ME and you're going to say YES! Simple as that." wow...
Okay. All the family came into the tiny room and magically, I really mean magically fit into only THREE rows. Crazy. We're a big family.
Presiding: Elder Micheal J. Reall (Member of the Seventy)
Conducting: President Richard Greenland
Chorister: Jill Ward
Organist: Margo Salt
Opening Hymn: #263 Each Life that Touches Ours For Good
Invocation: Harry Ward
Talk: Jim Beckley
Eulogy & Talk: Steven Ward
Musical Number: O My Father. -Janelle Vorkink, Jill Ward, Pattie Ward, and Shannon Ward
Talk:President John Jorgenson
Talk: President Richard Greenland
Talk: Elder Micheal J. Reall
Hymn:#136 I Know that my Redeember Lives
Benediction: Mike Dochterman
Graveside Service:
The American Legion did the gun shooting thing because Grandpa was a vetran.
Then we went on with our service
Hymn: #301 I Am a Child of God. All versus.
Grave Dedication: Wally Ward
The service was exactly what everyone in our family needed to hear. I mean there's no other way to describe it. It's one of those times you grow as a family and you are very grateful for it, the part I like most it that it was our WHOLE family. Even those who have a different faith than us. And then just being able to feel the spirit there as well was soo calming. We even had an Seventy there! Which is way cool. I don't remember if he actually knew Grandpa well, but he's from the Columbia Stake and got to speak to us. My favorite part was hearing how Grandpa impacted so many lives, very simply. For instance I knew my Grandparents and Dad were around when the Kirksville Ward was growing, but I never realized how much the Macon Branch actually depended on their family.The Eulogy Steve gave was probably different from what most people do. Steve read Grandpa's words the entire time. It was Grandpa's our biography, from one of his journals of course. It was great. Is it weird that I'm saying my Grandfather's funeral service was Great?
After the grave service the Grandchildren all but Caitlyn, Kendall, and Zach took their flowers off the bouquet and some laid them on top of his casket and a few kept their. I know I kept mine, and I have Luke's as well. Then we all went to the Baptist Fellowship Hall? I think that what it's called either way it's the new Baptist building behind Grandpa and Grandma's house, and we all had lunch there. Which was fun. The Teenagers. had our own table to terrorize each other haa. And we really did. After the lunch Kayya, Me, Katie, and Kelcey went to the trailer and watched the other side of heaven and Kelcey took a nap. It was a really good movie.
After that day everyone has just gone their own separate ways. Done their own thing.
Everyone is back in school, all College students and all. I kind of miss the social aspect of being with my friends and on my own. But oh well. I finally got a second job too! It's McDonald's! Woo! I start work in this coming Friday, and I hope it goes well. I'm glad I've got this job working with actual people, and not just a loner job calling people. But I will continue to work at Martiz.
Now the goal is just to get a car. A really good car. No more than $3,000. bleh aslfdhsjfagsl
Grandpa At the Old Co-Op Station
