As I'm sure many of you know by now, my Grandpa Flake passed away suddenly on Sunday morning. This last week was a great one--Shiloh and Danica (my brother and his now-wife) were married on Saturday morning, and for Grandpa to be able to attend was such a blessing. He had fallen a couple of weeks ago and broken 8 ribs, had some internal bleeding, etc...so we were all surprised when he came not only to the sealing (which was BEAUTIFUL), but to the reception--for an hour! Steve and I even got him some homemade root beer...his favorite. I even remember thinking that he looked a little pale and tired, but I was impressed with how much better he seemed to be.
I just don't know what else to say--I'm grateful for the man that he was and for the example he gave me. I'm grateful that I was able to learn from him. I'm grateful that I got to see and talk to him the day before he died--that I have no regrets from my relationship with him. I'm grateful for a wonderful, supportive, loving husband who was willing to stay in Snowflake for an extra day to support me and my parents. I'm grateful for the gospel and the perspective that it gives us in times like these, and I am so grateful for my family, and the fact that I know that I will be able to live with them forever. What a blessing!!
You know, before I left on my mission (almost two years ago by now), I had three living great-grandparents and three living grandparents. Now Grandma Flake is the only one left. But you know what? I know what a big party they must be having up there...and I know that they wouldn't want me to be sad for them. So I'm not--and these past few days have been just a wonderful celebration of the live of a great man who touched so many lives, in so many ways.
And you know what? I want to make sure that my relationships with everyone in my life--husband, family, friends--are at the point where I will have no regrets, no matter what happens. And when.
I'm so grateful.
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