Saturday: Shelly's funeral, time with family

I felt so good to spend saturday with family.  Saturday morning we woke up ready to celebrate life.  James made breakfast while Auntie Grace and others had a napoleon dynamite dance party.  Grandma and Grandpa Thomas left early to help with funeral arrangements.  

 after lots of fun, we quickly got ready for Shelly's funeral.  Katara come with us.  The wind was blowing and traffic was slow so we took the back roads.

We arrived at the viewing and shared hugs with family said goodbye to Shelly and prepared for the funeral.

By the time the funeral started Everett was done, so James took Everett out so I could enjoy the remarks.  It was a beautiful service where I learned more about my Aunt during her younger years, my grandparents efforts to help their child in a time when medical knowledge wasn't as advanced and the Lord's tender mercies.

Gwenevere loved that Shelly liked to Needle point.  There where several of Shelly's Needle points on display and they where beautiful.

Shelly also loved stuffed animals, Hello Kitty and coloring.  Shelly loved helping out in Primary and longed to have a family of her own.  She was always so kind to her nieces and nephews when they would come to visit Grandma and Grandpa Harmon.  

Grace loved that Shelly loved McDonald's.  Every time Dodie would come to pick up Shelly and spend time with Shelly.  Shelly would asked to go to Mcdonalds and get a cheeseburger, fries and a Diet Pepsi.    Grace keeps asking if we can got to McDonalds and order what Aunt Shelly liked to order.  We haven't done it yet but I hope to do it soon.  

Back to the funeral....

It was a bit harder to hear about the negligence and trials Shelly experienced as an adult, living in an assisted living home and being isolated from her family.   I looked over at my own sister Alisha and saw a foreshadowing of what might happen to her, both the good and the bad.    It made me want to be more like my Aunt Dodie.

Aunt Dodie is my Uncle David's second wife.  Uncle David always felt like he needed to watch over Shelly.  But because Shelly was in abusive assisted living home that isolated Shelly from her family, David had a hard time reaching out to Shelly.

Dodie on the other hand, having no history with the Harmon family and Shelly's caretakers, was able to step in view the situation and rescue Shelly.  It wasn't easy for Dodie, there where many many trials for her in her attempts to help Shelly.

Dodie shared with the family a tidbit about Shelly's last few days.

Dodie felt it was time to move Shelly to a new assisted living home since Shelly was once again being neglected.  When they found Shelly's new home Dodie felt this would be Shelly's last home.  Dodie shared her thoughts with Shelly's new caretakers and they had felt the same impressions.  Dodie also felt Shelly would be leaving this earth soon, or at least close to her birthday March 13th.

Shelly loved to color.  Dodie would buy Shelly stacks of coloring books every few months.  When Shelly's birthday came and went and Shelly had exhausted all her current coloring books Dodie was hesitant to get more.  Not knowing how much time was left.  April went by and Shelly was still here with us.  So Dodie broke down and took Shelly shopping to pick out some lotions and other odds and ends.

While Driving in the car, Shelly told Dodie she had a husband and a little daughter in Heaven waiting for her.  Shelly asked Dodie if she would help her raise her daughter.  Dodie agreed to help and Shelly was excited to finally have her own family.  She was ready and anxious to see them again.

When they got to the Dollar store they picked up a few items and Shelly commented on a beautiful necklace she saw at the store.   "It is pretty but I don't need it."

She loved jewelry and had never turned down a ring or a necklace before.

Dodie knew then that Shelly knew her time on earth was near the end.  (that was the monday before Shelly passed away  (May 1 St).

On Thursday May 4th, Shelly was coming home from her adult group and fell and hit her head.  They rushed her to the hospital and kept her alive with life support.  the doctors discovered Shelly's brain had been bleeding for a few weeks.  When her head hit the flood her brain was smashed it one side and there was no brain activity.

My mom rushed to the hospital, where she was with Shelly as she was taken off life support.  They moved Shelly to a different floor and my mom stayed with her until she passed away early in the morning May 5th.  (The morning we drove to Utah).


After the funeral Aunt Dodie invited all the children to come and pick out a teddy bear from Aunt Shelly's collection.   Gwenevere picked out a what lamb with a Easter sunday bonnet, Grace picked out a simple black teddy bear.  Everett didn't want one so we left the rest for others to have.

We followed the hearse to the cemetery where my Grandparents where buried.

Uncle David dedicated Shelly's gravesite and we all placed flowers on shelly's casket.

Shelly's siblings minus Penny and Peggy.  Left to right Kelly, Sandy, Kevin, Doug, David and Margie.  Penny was in the hospital with blood clots in her lungs, Peggy was with Penny during her time in need.  

Gwenevere and Grace where interested in seeing the place where my Grandparents where buried.

Aunt Margie showing Gwenevere Grandma and Grandpa Harmon's bench.  

One last goodbye

Cousin Sam is the best.  

Uncle Kevin and Uncle Kelly had Costal Vista cater lunch.

the cousins ran around playing with each other and the cool aunts and uncles.

Finally we said goodbye to many family members and started our drive back to Grandma and Grandpa Thomas' home.

Passing the funeral home

We drove by Grandpa and Grandma's last home in Blackfoot Id.  Many good memories.  We meandered home and found ourselves taking pictures by old signs and playing at the army surplus store.

Thank you Kristi

When we arrived back and Grandma and Grandpa's house the kids quickly got back to playing.  They played all afternoon while the adults rested.

Katara and Everett

But we couldn't end the day without ice cream.

So we loaded up 4 cars and took everyone to get ice cream.

Then we went back home and played board games until the wee hours of the morning.  Sitani, Lucky and I played Ticket to Ride.  James, Andrew, Grace and Will played Settlers of Catan, Grace, Gwenevere and Marley played Sorry, clue, and princess puppies.

I am so grateful I could spend time with my family, to learn more about my Aunt Shelly and be with my mom.