Grandma's funeral

Sister Nielsen,
 
Every thing went well with mom's funeral.  It was really nice.  We did not have a big turn out there as it was mostly family and local friends.  The luncheon afterwards was good as well.  It was great to see all my relatives.  Funerals are more like family reunions now the older we get.  Mom and Dad would have been pleased.  We drove up to Malad, ID to bury her next to dad.  I will forward the pictures my cousin sent us of the graveside.
 
This week as been different for us.  Tuesday was really hard on me as we were staying at mom's house, without her being there.  They had gathered all of our family pictures that we had given to her and it was very sad.  Reality was starting to sink in.  The family gatherings on Sunday nights might not ever happen again or at least would not be the same without mom and dad there as our nucleus.  We were taking home alot of the old food storage that is 20 years old as they were just throwing everything away.  The crackers are a little stale, but I figured our family would eat it if we do not get sick.
 
At work, things are a little tough these days.  We have to cut our budget by $1 million dollars, so that will equate to 15 - 20 positions.  The NSHE chancellor also hired a consultant from Colorado to come around and talk to a few of our institutions to see what jobs could be consolidated or done by a central processing unit.  Financial aid was part of the offices that she thought could be consolidated.  She is thinking about creating a center that would process the financial aid for Western nevada CC, Truckee meadows and GBC.  So who knows what is going on around here.  The employee morale is not very high when they start talking about job cuts, and consolidating operations, etc.  So all this not so good news on the job front and with mom's death, this has been a tough week.
 
Erin goes into the MTC in Lima, 1 month from today.  That is exciting news.  Cody got the week off from basketball and they had their first day of tryouts on Sat. and the other day tonight.  He said he was not in very good basketball shape after football.  Lowry lost to Faith Lutheran, so Faith Lutheran will be playing Fallon for the state championship this weekend in football.
 
Summer had 2 bball games last week, and she is starting to get the hang of things.  She is being more aggressive and figuring it out.  Before, she was too worried about running down to her spot on the court and pass the girl dribbling the ball.  She shot a couple of 3 pointers on sat. but missed them.  At least she was close.  We still need to work on her shooting form.
 
Addie and Carly are still as cute as ever and growing up quickly. 
 
I can't think of too much else.  I still have to write up those stories from stake conference and send them.  We got released from nursery yesterday.  It was a sad day.  Mom did not come in, but I went in to transition the other teachers.  I had 6 out of the 10 kids clinging to me.  I am going to miss them all.
 
Well have a super week, we love you and pray for you daily.
 
Love
 
Dad

Dearest Sister Nielsen,

It seems longer ago, but Grandma's Funeral was just one week ago.  It was really nice.  Everyone did a great job speaking.  Dad and Darhl worked some doctrine in their talks using the Proclamation and the Plan  of Salvation.  Brayden played an incredible piano solo of Come thou Fount...  It was really an amazing day.  We hadn't all been on a car trip together for awhile.  We went up to Malad where Grandpa was buried.  It was the last ceremonial thing to complete the funeral.  On the way back to Gram's house we were wondering where we were going to buy Erin's garments before the next morning and Erin's endowment session.  Charlene had given me the number for the Church information center, so I called that as we were driving through Ogden and explained our situation, since it was a Monday and Veteran's Day and finding a distribution center near a temple would be hard to find open.  They said the Deseret Bookstore downtown at City Creek had a clothing department and would be open until 9 pm.  (Sweeeeet)  So, we went there and bought all Erin's garments.  She got 8 tops and 10 bottoms in a few different fabrics, but the majority was "Carinessa".

I'm not sure how humid it is Lima, but the RM clerk helping us said people  really like the drisilque kind that wicks away moisture.  What have you discovered about that in your land of humidity? 

We went the next morning to the Oquirrh Mnt. temple and she received her endowments.  Darhl was the only one of the family that came.  Erin said they hadn't said much about the temple in Mission Prep, so she had basically no temple prep. going in.  I think she handled it OK, it is kind of different if not knowing what to expect, but no one really knows really what to expect I think.  Have you seen the new film?

We went back to the house and Dad gathered up his Argentine things that he'd given his parents that they had displayed.   Also some deer and elk antlers.  Carly really wanted a stuffed horse and the big box of crayons that they always colored with.  It was kind of sad leaving and going home, it was the first time we left where there wasn't someone to kiss goodbye.  We slept in grandma and grandpa's bed.  That was kind of different, but when Charlene offered it to us , I thought, 'well why not? it's available'.  As I was making the bed the last time I noticed the pictures framed over the bed.  There were three-- in the middle was te where they were sealed, on one side was a picture of the Savior and on the other one of our big group pictures of the family.  That about said it all about what was important to them. 

Have a wonderful week,

Love you, 

Mom