Good bye, 2014 and Hello, 2015.

We ended 2014 by attending the funeral of Gary's Uncle Carl (Baker).  He and his wife, Aunt Glenna (Grandma Hall's older sister) have been in declining health for several years and have lived in an assisted living center for a number of years.  The whole family had spent a week together that Christmas which had been one of the first time in many years that they had been together during this holiday.  They have five children and three live out of state.  Of course they are all married and now their children are married with children of their own.  It was if Uncle Carl waited for that last time of togetherness before he left us for a place with no pain and no stress.  As is often the case when a good person who lived a good life passes away, it was a combination of sadness and concern about those left behind, but also joy and appreciation for a good man and a good life.  There was laughter as well as tears and it was a spiritual time to be together as an extended family.

Oddly, a funeral seemed like almost a good way to end a year,  It caused me to reflect a little more deeply about my life, 2014 and really all of things which I do daily.  Are they the things that really matter most?  What would my kids have to say at the end of my life?  Sometimes I worry that they will only be able to say "My mom was very busy.  We aren't sure what she was busy doing, but she always had something."

What I want them to remember and say:
I want them to remember that I tucked them into bed at night, that I loved books and tried to share that with them, and I planned fun vacations because I wanted to build a wealth of memories together. I want them to say that I loved the beach and I taught them to love the ocean, both the sand and the waves and the great world underneath the surface.  I want them to know that I taught them to love the earth and to pick up litter and if they threw something out the window, I turned the car around to go allow them to pick it up.  I was a learner and education was important for me and for them--not just school but the unlimited information of the world.

I want them to remember that caring for others is very important and I tried to teach them that as we did service projects, parties in orphanages, and "Twelve Days of Christmas."  I wanted them to remember that we shared our home and family with other kids and teens at unique times in their lives because that is what the Savior would do. 

Most of all, I hope that my children would say that I loved the gospel.  That I knew that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day is the true Church on this earth.  Our Heavenly Father knows us by name and loves us individually as His spiritual begotten children.  That through the life and death of Jesus Christ and his atonement in behalf of all mankind we can once again live with our Heavenly Parents.  And by following the direction provided to us by the still small voice we can have happiness in this life and eternal life forever.  That happiness and peace is not dependent on what is happening around us but what is happening inside of us.

That night, Gary and I with Jena stayed up and watched the "ball" drop at Time Square (being there in person is NOT on my bucket list--that looks crazy.  If I am going to do a crowd for New Years Eve, I am heading to Hong Kong for the fire work display.  Now that is the way to spend New Years Eve and should be on all bucket lists.)  As we kissed at mid-night, I have this excitement for 2015--a quiet feeling that all will be okay.  I have lived long enough to know that doesn't mean that 2015 will be free of hard times and sadness.  That is life.  But that sweet promise and feeling of hope was a tender mercy for me,

So...

Good-bye, 2014 and Hello, 2015. 

I can't wait to see what this year brings (other than Gary and I turning 60!)