I had a wonderful and eventful April. I always like April, but this one in particular. This month flowed from event to event, some planned, some not. All worth thoughtful consideration.
General Conference--always wonderful & inspirational
The week after General Conference I learned that "favorite cousin" Ann Tate Alger had pulmonary embolism with clots thrown into her brain and that she was not expected to live. The funeral was Wednesday, April 11. I was able to cancel my work clinic (no one scheduled anyway) to go. I took a Greyhound bus (which WAS an adventure). I wanted to be there to celebrate the life our our dear cousin and to see cousins and aunts and uncles that I haven't seen in many years and I know I may not see again. Plus--visit my Mom--near her 84th birthday (April 13) and my siblings Melissa & Ron and Paul & Doris. I was able to go to Malad, Idaho and see sites there--who knows when or if I will go there again. Ann was buried right next to Grandma and Grandpa Burton. Her sweet family was there all around as was many others of our family. What a wonderful, caring example Ann is. And always so much fun. Her way of telling her kids to take care and be careful was, "Drive fast, take chances, and run with scissors!" Ann made our wedding cake. It makes me sad to think she wasn't able to make the wedding cake for any of her 3 children.
We planned for David to be ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood and for our little Melissa's baptism to be delayed a bit so Aria could be here during a break in school. That followed on the tails of my return from the trip to Utah/Idaho for Ann's funeral. Aria arrived Saturday night, David was ordained Sunday, April 15 before church and then passed the sacrament for the first time that day. Melissa's baptism was Thursday night. We wanted to do baptisms for the dead while Aria was home and since David now could and the only time we could schedule that was Thursday afternoon. So Thursday Kim was able to baptize ALL of our children. Alyssa Heyborne came from out of town to celebrate with us and went to the temple as well. David was baptized vicariously for his Great-Uncle "Bud" Clarence Een. All of our children in/at the temple. Melissa waited in the atrium area, I stayed with her much of the time, but went in to see David baptized and some of the girls. We went almost directly to Melissa's baptism. She was supported by many family and friends--even our neighbor Kathy Pouncey came. That's the only baptism she has attended.
We made a quick trip up April 28 for my nephew Eric Hilton's marriage to Jessica Cook. All of my siblings were there! David and Lara flew in--although not with any of their family. All of my siblings were together with our Mom in the temple. It was great! It was a necessarily quick trip, but again worth supporting the new couple and a great time to be together. I'll have to try and remember the last time all 6 of my siblings were together and who knows when we will all be together again--David and his family aren't coming to the family reunion this summer--even though Lara and her family are.
So many rights of passages--all in one month . . . Baptism (both live and vicarious)--entering on the path; Priesthood Ordination--MY only begotten son joins the ranks of The Priesthood, the power that makes the ordinances and so much else possible; Eternal Marriage--the start of a new family; and Death--the loss of beloved family that reminds us of the importance of all of the above and the promise of a glorious eternity together.
Definitely an April to remember fondly!
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