Here I Go...Day 1

A hole. Today I decided that is what it is. That is what I feel. When I started to realize that feeling today I felt a tug in my stomach that made me wrap my arms around it and I forced myself to not think about that hole. I have this huge void right in the middle of me and there is nothing to fill it. It contains all that my sister meant to me. All the roles she filled in my life that she no longer can be apart. I am still trying to figure out where to go from here now. You see she wasn't just a sister. She was my mother, my best friend, my mentor. The one I could turn to if I didn't understand life.
She taught me to brave and to do things you don't want to.
She taught me that smiling your way through life is much better than crying...plus you make more friends that way...which she did.
She taught me that you can over come any circumstance life brings you. You decide what you life will become and that you should never let your life decide for you.
She taught me to always be kind. To never look down on those you don't understand. You never know what someone has to offer.
I learned that forgiveness is not something that has to be asked for but something we can give any time we choose. It is not about them it is about you.
She taught me that fun is FUN and you should have as much of it as you possibly can.
I learned through her friends, about her, what a good friend really is. How loyal and good she was and how life changing that kind of a friendship can be.
I learned service can pick you up out of the worst of circumstances and help you rise again.
The lessons I will treasure most from her is how she taught me to be a wife and a mother. I learned from her that my husband is the most important thing in my life and not only should I know that but that I should make a point to make sure that he knows that, too.
I not only learned how to nurture the body of an infant but also how to care for their soul. How to love them and be patient with them...always.

If all of these lessons seem familiar to you that is because they are. She taught me by living the gospel. By striving to do the right thing and be like the Savior. She didn't do it because she knew I was watching she did it because that is who she was.

I remember a very significant crossroads in my life. I realized I would either be one person or the other. I clearly remember seeing her with her husband and little girl. I saw their happiness and joy that they found in living the way they lived. I decided then and there that that is exactly what I wanted. I wanted a family. I wanted a husband just like she had. And I wanted them forever.

I feel very blessed to be called her sister, but I feel so much more blessed to call her so much more. I remember years ago when I was still in High School she gave me a plaque that read, "Sisters by chance, Friends by choice". I don't think it was chance that we ended up in the same family. Heavenly Father knew that we needed each other to get through it all. I feel blessed to know her enough to know the good and bad..flaws and all.

I want you all to know that I know first that Melynda still lives. I know that as easy as I breath. I have never felt this close to the other side of the veil as I do now. It has never been so easy for me understand what is going on there and to imagine how wonderful it must be there. I have never looked forward to that day but now I do. I know there is purpose in all of life. I know she is needed there and I am needed here. My hope is that we can both fulfill our purposes although at times I feel less than capable of doing mine.
I also know that while I feel this great void where she used to be I have much I can still learn from her. Now all that she has ever done has more meaning to me than before and there is so much to learn.

I have decided to do 31 Days of Memories for Melynda. I wanted to do it privately but then I decided I wanted to share what an awesome person she was because she was AWESOME. Some will be happy or sad but all significant to me. If any of you have any to share please do. I love all of you and am grateful for all the love, prayers, faith and support. Life is unbearable without those four things.

Thanks if you made it throught the whole thing...in the words of Macie "...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..."

Melynda's Funeral

Here is the final information for Melynda's services:

Monday Viewing from 6:00-8:00 pm
North Hamptom House
198 West 300 North
American Fork, Utah 84003

Tuesday Viewing from 10:00-11:30 followed by
Funeral Services at 12:00
Stake Center
828 South Center Street
Lehi, Utah 84043

Wednesday Graveside Service 12:00 pm
Ivins Cemetery
200 West 400 North
Ivins, Utah

Please send flowers to Sereni Care Funeral Home
12278 Lonepeake Parkway
Draper, Utah 84020

Please join us in celebrating Melynda life. We are grateful for the continual support and love you have offered to us during these past few weeks. We can never thank you enough.

Melynda Anne Thomas

I wanted to let those of you who don't know already but knew my sister Melynda Thomas passed away Wednesday night. We love her and we will miss her so much. Those who knew her knew of her courage and strength. We have all learned so much from her and treasure and look forward, with hope, to the day we can be with her again. I love you Melynda!

Thanks you for all the love and support. I know prayer works because I honestly testify that our family has literally been carried through this experience. Please continue to pray we still need them very much. We love you all!

For more information please visit melyndasstatus.blogspot.com

Pictures on Fall Part 1

Models

When you have a camera and a compulsion to take pictures as much as I do it helps to have some good models on hand...lucky for me I do...and they are FREE!!! I get quite the variety of poses that they have very near prefected.

The "over the shoulder"



Beautiful-innocent look (Yes she does have clothes on under that sweater).



Good with props too and improvising.




The stare



Action shots (and he has good fashion sense)



and the "I just really want you to take my picture with this thing in my mouth".

You can't pay money for this kind of stuff. I am one lucky mom-photographer.

I WISH YOU DANDELIONS AND MUD PUDDLES

I WISH YOU DANDELIONS AND MUD PUDDLES

"When I look at a patch of dandelions, I see a bunch of weeds that are going to take over my yard. My kids see flowers for Mom and blowing white fluff they can wish on.

When I feel the wind on my face, I brace myself against it. I feel it messing up my hair and pulling me back when I walk. My kids close their eyes, spread their arms and fly with it, until they fall to the ground laughing.

When I pray, I say “thee” and “thou” and “grant me this”, “give me that”. My kids say, “Hi God, thanks for my toys and my friends. Please keep the bad dreams away tonight. Sorry, I don’t want to go to Heaven yet. I would miss Mommy and Daddy.”

When I see a mud puddle, I step around it. I see muddy shoes and dirty carpets. My kids sit in it. They see dams to build, rivers to cross, and worms to play with.

I wonder if we are given kids to teach or to learn from? No wonder God loves the little children!! Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were big things."

~by Kelley Small, Publisher of Today’s Parent

May we all try more to "....become as a little child"! (see Matthew 18:3 & 3 Nephi 11:38)