For Shawnie

Another hard day--today was the funeral for Shawnie. Ryan was an usher, and he estimated over 300 people were there. I thought maybe I was all cried out by now, but I still bawled like a baby.

The funeral was beautiful. I don't know how anyone endures this type of tragedy without the gospel. My grief is acute because I will miss her friendship and her joy and enthusiasm for life. I grieve for her family: her pained husband and her 3 boys whom she loved so much. But in spite of my grief, Shawnie's passing is not truly a tragedy. Shawnie is with her sweet son Ian; she will watch and guide her sons Drake, Luke and Mason every step of the way; and her loving, joyful spirit has touched me and changed me forever.

My thoughts keep returning to how beautiful Shawnie was. When I last saw her at church on Sunday, I was struck by how beautiful she was that day, and I told her so. She had this glow--I was tempted to ask her what kind of diet she was on! She simply radiated life and happiness.

Swollen-eyed Miriam and my sweet friend Stephanie

I see this beauty more sharply in those around me. Maybe it's just my swollen eyes, but it's almost painful to see beauty so clearly. How dear and precious my friends are--how truly beautiful they each are.

My beautiful friends:
Kathleen James, Kelly Perkins, Mili Williams, Jenny Bringhurst, Carissa Protacio, Jenny DeLeon,
Carlene Scott, Christy Miller, LaRae Lind, Stephanie Demartin, Juanita Verma.
Sarah Fort, Chelle Sorenson, Sharon Pomeroy, and Chery Gaush
came after the picture was taken.
I love the Coke dispensers in the background!

After a hard and tearful day, I sent an email inviting everyone to join me in a tribute to Shawnie. Shawnie used to deal with a hard day by stopping at McDonald's for an extra large Coke. I can't ever remember her showing up at a Presidency meeting without one in hand. So, I asked everyone to join me at McDonald's at 8:30 tonight to enjoy a Coke in Shawnie's honor. More than 15 people came, and what a blast we had together! We were there for hours, laughing as hard as we had cried earlier today.

It only would have been more fun if Shawnie was there, too.