I received a call late one Wednesday night from my father. He informed me that my grandfather had taken his last breath and passed on to the next life. I was alone seeing as how my husband had spent the night in Los Angeles (the only night that week he stayed there). I was in slight disbelief that grandpa was gone and nobody was there to cry with. We had known it was coming, but yet I kind of thought he would just keep holding on and never leave. I wish that was how it could be.
Thursday was riddled with phone calls and texts to and from family members. My brother so graciously booked a flight for me and the kids for Friday, March 22. It was fast and crazy. The thought of having to fly with two kids two and under scared me. However, my little troopers did amazing on the flight. It was like they knew I needed them to behave and help me out.
Grandpa had been a fireman for quite a few years of his life. I remember going to the fire station when I was a kid and getting scratch and sniff stickers (orange scent) and thinking he was such a cool guy. He was. The fire department literally stood by his side until the very end.
It was so touching to see the firefighters dressed in their blues, stoic, and holding their axes. A final farewell. They led the casket into the funeral services too. It was amazing. Breathtaking really. A fire truck led the way to the cemetery. It had black drapes on it and carried the great grand kids. It was such a special thing for those little ones.
While following the hearse, we came around a corner in Provo to such an amazing site. Two fire trucks with their ladders extended and all the firemen standing next to them saluting as we all passed by.
Little Elliot decided to try out being a firefighter for a minute.
Did I mention I was a pallbearer? I was. That's right. I, in all my wimpy glory, carried a casket. Granted I did have 8 other people helping me. I felt so blessed to have had such an opportunity.
The day after the funeral, Scarlet decided she needed to get sick. I mean, knock down, drag out sick. I couldn't get her to eat or drink. And then the diarrhea. It was AWFUL. She has never, ever in her entire life been that sick. I felt so bad for her! However, I did love the snuggles. I never get to snuggle her, so it was a nice change. Too bad she was sick.
After a week of sickness, things got better. For the last week in Utah, we tried to party it up. We went to story time at the Provo library (best story time), ate at Waffle Love (a.k.a. the waffle truck, delicious), and went to dinner with friends and family. I only wish we could have extended the healthy week a little longer. It went by way too fast.
The flight home was decent. The kids did okay. Elliot started crawling the day we came home from Utah, so he thought he needed to be up and about during the flight. Scarlet thought the tray table was the coolest thing she'd ever experienced. Oh, and the fact that they gave her apple juice made her super happy.
Also while we were there, Elliot got two teeth! It was crazy. One tooth one day, another the next. They were his very first teeth. He hit huge milestones and grew so much in just three short weeks.
I was so grateful to have been able to get back to Utah for the funeral and spend some much needed time with friends and family. I'm counting down the days until Ryan is finished with school. It's coming very soon! I will always have great memories of this time in California, but I'm so ready for an income.
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