I am going to school. Crazy, I know! I am doing Pathway worldwide and I am taking a family history class. One of the assignments is to keep a journal and I think I am going to pick this up again after 11 years! Crazy, huh? Here it goes!

I am going to do a recap of last year. I think it is probably a good idea considering it was one of the worst years of my life. I went with my sisters to see my dad who was not doing well in November . They didn't wxpect him to come out of it. We decided to put him on comfort care, where they take the meds away except for those that bring comfort. He agreed. He has wanted to be with my mom for so long. He missed her so much. I was lucky enough to spend the night with him just to make sure he was ok. I don't know why, maybe t was my training or I wanted to be of some help. He didn't want much help from me so it was my last chance to do something. It was nice but I didn't get a lot of sleep.

In the morning the sisters came. A bedbath was scheduled and I wanted to help so I stayed when the girls left. He was in a lot of pain and I knew the end was near so I cancelled it and let him rest.   A little after that I got a call from Travis. He was histarically crying, telling me he was sorry. He was sorry. My heart dropped into my stomach and I told him to calm down,expecting the worst. He told me the house was on fire. I asked about the littles. They had all gotten out and were safe. I could hear fire trucks in the background. I told him to go and I would call him back. Then I called Ashley and asked if she could make sure he was okay. And there I was,by myself wih my dad, going in shock. I couldn't say anything to him because I figured he would hear and I didn't want him to stick around for me. I wanted him to go Home to mom. I sent an SOS out to my family and the girls came. Tami scheduled two plane tickets home for me and her. I felt so bad that she wouldn't be with dad when he passed but I did need help getting home, I can see that now. I missed my mom's passing and I really wanted to be there for his. I have yest to be in the room when someone goes Home and I really want to see what that is like. But home I went, not sure what to expect. Britt called me and I wept when I heard the littles. They were ok! Such a blessing! 

We got to Phoenix, I don't remember much about it. I do remember Jim picked us up and took us straight to my house. Everthing looked normal excdept for the garage door was cut up. Trav was at the Myer's house who have been so wonderful through this whole thing. The fire started in the garage bedroom we adapted for Cortney. Everything in her room was gone, the laundry room looked so bad, the ceilings were all pulled down and the fired spread into the rafters and it was so bad. The smoke and water had done it's damage. The house was a total loss, but the sad part is we could see things. It smelled terribly. I didn't know what do to now. We got a hotel in Phoenix, the kind you can rent by the hour, and we all went there that night. Ashley flew in to be with us. We had the whole family there and all I could think about was how wonderful it was that we were ALL there and I thanked my Heavenly Father that it wasn't worse than it was. 

I got the text at 5 am the next morning that my dad had passed away. I wasn't there. I should have been I know I wa where I was supposed to be but I wish I could hv been there too. I wish I could have flet when he joined my mom. 

We went back to the house because we were going to spend the day drying out pictures so we cud scan them. I remember doing this for Sis Robie when her house burned down. When we got there, our wards had heart attacked our yard leaving messages of love and support. My favorite one was this too shall pass. And, fast-forwarding to now, it has passed for the most part and my heart is still tender to everything that happened. And those sweet messages were so appreciated and loved!

We had a sweet couple from our ward to let us stay in their air-BNBs for ten days while we dealt with the funeral up in Salt Lake. Kris Taylor came and brought presents for the littles. Ashley came too. She didn't spend much time with us but it was so good to see her and her family. 

We found a house on Ivyglen to stay in while the fixed my house. It is 4200 SQ feet with a playroom that had a tube slide that looked like an elephant. The littles loved it! We all had wonderful memories of our crazy time in the elephant house.