Aunt Carolee's Funeral

march 7th was aunt carolee's funeral in heyburn.  it had been over 2 years since her accident (it happened a week before i had ellee).  she was 74 year old.  i had actually been in touch with her in the few weeks before, by letter.  a sweet girl from the ward i grew up in helped her as a scribe.  i think she knew her time was wearing down...and what a blessing that she could be freed from her handicapped body!  we had had a family fast for her the beginning of february.  she is greatly missed, but i have many fond memories of her including spending a week in the summer with her, lisa, and i at her home in salt lake.  although i was homesick, i enjoyed the grocery store pizza, watching fireworks from her roof, visiting the u and her department, going to heber city, and telling her when a little boy ran out in front of us while driving thru her neighborhood.  i saw him just in time, and he darted back to his yard.  she always sent or brought big boxes of fun gifts for holidays and birthdays.   i l-o-v-e-d the safety pin earrings from the eighties and the huarache sandals.  still have the earrings; they were rockers.  so many more things.  her alto voice, big hugs, and moon boots.  she was so kind to me (and friends) in college letting us crash at her place or picking me up from the airport, etc.  and she contributed to my mission each month that i was out.   i learned A LOT from her funeral and obituary about her professional life and all the people she touched.  wow!  dad spoke at the end, and i thought he summed up her accident nicely, if nicely should be used?!  she was called to go through something that made us wonder why?  but all along, i knew it had to be for a reason...and he expressed that after her passing, the impression came to him that this was the only way she would know the true help and kindness that she had given to all those people and kids she served as a physical therapist, by experiencing being debilitated herself.  i felt this was true.  i enjoyed getting to visit with and see (it's been 9 years!) cousins from california and other extended family members. the weather was beautiful and true to her request, local bagpipers came and played 'amazing grace' at her graveside. it was awesome. we enjoyed eating together and visiting at hotel conference room and swimming pool.  we also sang 'how great thou art' during her funeral (all adult nieces, nephews, and spouses).  last week, we went to a session at the temple and the minute i sat down, a lady in the front row reminded me of aunt carolee.  more to it than this, but i felt strongly that she is now ready, able, and waiting to help us with family history work from the other side.  time to make time to do this!