My Mom's 70

Well, she would be. If she were alive. But she's not. She's dead and I hate it. I am a week late writing this entry. I have been procrastinating, and super busy. I just really miss her. I put two pictures of her on Instagram and this is what I wrote: Today is my mom's 70th birthday. She died 21 years 2 months and 29 days ago. It has been 7,760 days since I have seen her and 7,762 days since I last talked to her. Things I have learned. 1. I am thankful for the Plan of Salvation. I am grateful for the knowledge that I know she still exists and we will be reunited one day. 2. Life without mom does get easier, then it gets harder, then easier again. 3. I wouldn't choose a different mom, even though life is hard without her. 4. I have the best brothers in the world! 5. I get jealous when I see people with their moms and then feel guilty for being jealous. 6. I get super jealous when I see kids with their grandma and then feel super guilty about that. (Mike also lost his mom years and years ago.) 7. The two Heathers in my life are in the same boat. (Heather Nielson and Heather Shepherd) 8. The three of us are going to make the best grandmas! 9. Life is good! 10. You are a champ if you made it to the end of this list.

I found some dusty old photographs. I didn't have a chance to look too hard though. Anyways, I really miss her. I wish my kids knew her. I wish I knew her as an adult. I wish I could talk to her. I wish she was still here. Cancer stinks.

Mom

 Dad, Mom and Baby Stephanie (I cried A LOT ~ Maysen and Preston made me pay for it.)

 Mom and Stephanie ~ photobomb by Grandma Millburn I think

 Dad and Mom

 Dad

Mom, Bubs a.k.a. Spencer

Brett and Stephanie

This is our last family photo. Brett was leaving on his mission. My mom died while he was gone. This was the last time Brett ever saw my mom. My mom said goodbye to him knowing it would be a miracle if she would see him again. I can't even imagine.

Mom, Mike, Brett, Dad, Bubs, Matt

Stephanie, John

This mooring I convinced Mike and the kids to take a tour of the new MTC with me. It was great. It was really pretty. We didn't take a photo by the map wall, but we did in front of this cool mural. It is lit from behind. We walked down a hall that had smaller versions of murals from around the MTC. They were all so beautiful!

Mike, Preston, Maysen, Jorja, Stockton

Mike had to go to work, but we went out to eat later tonight. We went to Chuck-A-Rama. We had a gift card from Scoop that we used. This was perfect! I have a few memories of us at Chuck-A-Rama with the Powells, and my mom was cheap! I went shopping with Maysen earlier in the day, and Jorja did her make up tonight. They both looked beautiful.

Maysen, Jorja

Mike drove home separately. He had met us there. I stopped by to visit my mom's headstone. Too bad I lost all the pinwheels back in May.

Jorja, Maysen, Preston, Stockton

 Jorja, Maysen, Stockton

Preston, Stephanie

Jorja went to the Alta football game with Evan. Actually Evan's mom dropped them off at Shafer's house and they took them to the game. Jorja got to meet all of Shafer's family. The game lasted forever! Double overtime. Alta would have won in regulation if they wouldn't have roughed the punter. Instead Lehi got the ball back and scored a touchdown. The Lehi quarterback threw for 10 touchdowns that night. I'm thinking Alta needs to work on defense a bit. I was so tired when it was finally time for me to pick up Jorja. Maysen, Mike and I gathered things for Maysen to take to college. The kids all slept in the motorhome so we could leave when we want. Stockton went to a 'going away to college' party for his friend Acea. He is going to Utah State too. I am not used to Stockton being out late. He ended up getting home at 1:00. I was very tired.