Big Gulps Huh? Well, See Ya Later.

Patience's Funeral 

I have said goodbye to far too many people since the beginning of 2015.  I knew some of the individuals better than others, but each death was heartbreaking.  Our good friend Patience's mom died, followed closely by Michelle's 2 year old daughter Tyler, then John's cousin lost her 7 month old baby boy Parker, and finally it was Patience's time to return to our Savior.  I wanted to take the time to write an eloquent post about my greiving experiences for each of these individuals, but now with my fading memory I feel it important to write something quickly instead of waiting longer and writing nothing.  

IONE BUSH (Pay's mom): I was able to get to know Ione the most during my visits with Patience in the Hospital.  She was a character and definitely her daughters, Mother. She was kind and every time I came she was faithfully sitting next to Patience not letting her fight cancer by herself.  I remember Patience telling me in college that her mom's health hadn't been the greatest, so I'm sure it had its ups and downs for the next 10 years up till the day she died.  However, the news of her passing came as quite a surprise to her entire family.  She was the informant about Patience throughout her fight with cancer and frequently updated Facebook of anything new to report.  Her funeral was beautiful.  Patience was unable to attend because of her health circumstances, so Meagan, Mel, John, and I felt the need to be there for her.  It was a beautiful service and it was amazing to learn about the wonderful life she lived.  

TYLER MARIE DAVIS:  Tyler was amazing.  She was smart, brave, spunky, and beautiful inside and out.  I wish I had spent more time getting to know her, and I bet a lot of people feel the same way.  But I will share a couple experiences I had with her.
-When Tyler was born, I was so excited to go to the hospital to meet her.  John and I took turns holding that tiny baby and admired her beautiful little face.  We talked about how she looked like a porcelain doll.  She didn't have a bump or bruise to be seen from the delivery and came to this earth as pure as she left it.  
-A couple months later she played Baby Jesus up at This Is the Place Heritage Park.  John and I were in the caroling choir and had the opportunity to sing Silent Night to Michelle, Skye, and Tyler as they portrayed the nativity scene.  There wasn't a time that I didn't feel the spirit in that setting.  She was the best baby Jesus :)  Michelle shared this experience on Facebook.
  "The past few nights my little family has had the opportunity to portray Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the live nativity at This Is The Place Park. The experience as a whole has been great. I wanted to share a moment from tonight. A small family came into the barn where we are set up. There was a mother, a father and their son with special needs. When the young man realized that Jesus (Tyler) was a real baby, he gasped; put his hands to his mouth and said, "That's my brother." I was immediately moved by his simple statement as well as his reaction. At this time of year, it can be easy to forget the real reason for the holiday, which is to celebrate the life of Jesus Christ, our brother. I hope that I never forget those simple words, or how that young man looked. Thank you so much Cliff, and Tate for giving us the opportunity to experience such a touching moment. I urge everyone else to make time to go the Candlelight Christmas at This Is The Place, and see the live nativity."
-I couldn't believe she was already potty trained around the age of two!!  It blew my mind how smart she was :)  
-Last but not least, over the summer some of us got together to hike Bell Canyon.  Skye was unable to come so John took it upon himself to help Tyler climb up the mountain and back.  Tyler was always trusting of Men Folk (which makes sense since Michelle is kind of a man.)  But she went right to John without question and let him take care of her.  It is so tender to think back about that fun day and hold that memory dear.  When we reached the reservoir some of the kids wanted to play in the water.  I'll be honest it was FREEZING!!!  Tyler was one who insisted in splashing around.  It was so fun to watch her joy and happiness.  

I shed a lot of tears over the death of Tyler.  About a month after she passed away Michelle's sister Andrea wrote a blog post that really touched my heart.  If you want to read it, hopefully this link will work.  It is also a tear jerker.
http://fifefamilyevents.blogspot.com/2015/02/playing-with-john.html

PARKER LYON:  The news of Parker came about 2 weeks after Tyler's passing.  I couldn't believe it was another child's time to go already.  I was unable to attend Tyler's funeral because we were on a cruise, but luckily it worked out that both John and I could attend Parker's.  It was a very sorrowful funeral.  I didn't know Parker as well as Tyler but I grieved both of their deaths during the meeting.  The spirit was strong and all I could think about was what the parents must be feeling.  To this day I can't imagine what both sets of parents were/are going through.  When I do try to imagine, I'm brought to tears and hold little Deja so tight and express to her how much I love her.
During the Bishops remarks he talked about how he knew that Shannon and Richard were both living spiritual lives and keeping the commandments. He said if it had been God's will, the Holy Ghost would have prompted them to check on Parker in order to keep him alive, so it was truly his time to go.  (My summary isn't nearly as articulate as the Bishop's beautiful words, but hopefully you get the idea.) When he said this, my heart told me that this was also true of Skye and Michelle.   What a trial to have.  What a trial to watch.  

PATIENCE BUSH BOEHME:  Patience's passing was in a way the hardest and also the easiest.  With her being in and out of the Hospital so much these past couple of months, a part of me knew she might not make it to her next birthday (June 30-Her favorite day.)  I had many opportunities to visit her and often wished I had gone more.  Every time I told her goodbye, I knew one of the times might be our last.  How fortunate I was to have that "Last Goodbye" be such a memorable one.  
Rewind to 2006 when Patience introduced me to a little place called Oakcrest.  It was there she was known as "Cole-Slaw."  She wanted me to apply to work in the kitchen with her to feed hundreds of girls every week.  I did and became "Trapezoid."  At Oakcrest, girls who were beehive age would come up for a week to have a little girls camp with other girls their age from all over Utah.  There were many fun, spiritual, goofy, and uplifting traditions that took place, but one of my favorites was the Thursday night "Staff Serenade."  On the last night that the young women slept over, we as a staff would light torches and visit the cabins and sing a couple spiritual songs for the girls.  We would then tell them how much we loved them and send them to bed.
Now Fast-forward to a couple weeks ago. Patience went through a lot of emotional suffering after her mom died.  Many of us wanted to help, but didn't know how because of the visiting restrictions and other complications.  Luckily around this time, one of my Oakcrest buddies, "Harley" contacted me about doing a staff serenade for Patience.  They only allowed 7 people in the room because of the ICU rules at the Huntsman, so what a tender mercy it was that Harley asked me to join them.  We met in the lobby before even going up to Patience's room so we could practice a couple songs and figure out a plan.  When we went up, we started singing "I am a child of God" in the hall and walked into her room, electronic candles in hand.  After we finished that song we went right into "Christ is the Reason" "Walk Tall" "Misty" and "Chloe"  It was perfect, the spirit was felt and my eyes were the only dry ones in the room.  (I gave myself a pep talk on the way to the hospital and told myself there would be no tears from me).  Every time I sang the harmony, Patience looked right at me with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.  We both loved singing the harmony way more than the melody.  I'll never forget how happy she was to see us that night and I'll never forget that last Goodbye.

I met Patience at Snow College about 10 years ago and she blessed my life more than she'll ever know.  I'm going to miss her so much and long to hear her voice, her perfect comedic timing, her love of the gospel and Jesus Christ, her passion for life, her charity and her uplifting of others.  I shared this on facebook, but one of my favorite qualities Patience possessed was her ability to make people feel amazing about themselves.  

I don't really know how to end this post other than bearing my testimony so here goes.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the most correct church on this earth.  I know that through the plan of salvation we can be with our loved ones again after death.  I know that because of the Atonement Jesus Christ knows our pain and our suffering and he can comfort us through the Holy Ghost.  I believe that I will see all these people again and that there was a reason they passed when they did.  I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and we are sent here to have trials and experience sorrow that we may have opposition in all things and also know true happiness. I know that we are all beloved children of God and that through Christ all the things are possible. In the name of our Lord, Brother, and Savior, Jesus Christ Amen.    

Now sorry to keep going but lets be honest, it's mostly for me.  It is my journal so to end things I tried to remember as many things as possible that I shared with Patience.  They won't make sense to the world but they are more precious than gold to me.

Where to even start.... "Hold on for one more day,"-especially at Jordan Commons on the ice cream parlor seats, Dr. Mario, driving me up to my parents house on the weekends when I would fall asleep in your car every time, "No matter what happens", being "best friends" at Asher's baby blessing, You telling me you were pregnant-that the birth control didn't work whilst stuffing spinach down your throat (I wasn't sure if you were lying or not!), Introducing me to great music like Relient K-Cruisin'-Dave Mathews Band-Curious George Soundtrack-etc., Kent's Mondays, your car Gilbert, BAAD Club Saint George Trip, "Phew, she's not pregnant!" Sock Wars, It's raining men, "Sha-bam-bam" The Gun, Breakfast at Tiffany's, riding up to Logan when I auditioned for the Music Therapy program, visiting creepy cemeteries in Ephraim, Institute Counsel, The time I came home from musical practice (Mame) and all I could do was lay on the floor and cry about how hungry and tired I was and you happily offered to make me soup, it was the best :)  You giving Larry the name Larry, Brittany's Kitchen, "Fro-frow-frown..." The unmade movie we talked about where everyone was creepy and I was the only normal one, your hat with the picture of you on it-you told people it was your twin "Charity" who died of Cancer-People always said Charity never faileth but that time she did (Ironic much?), Me making you MC at the ward Talent show when you weren't even in the ward anymore, haha. You introduced me to Oakcrest!!!, "Well...Are you Hungry?" The constant Pacing, Long boarding, the knife fight with Michelle, how you loved to talk about your favorite mole that you had to get removed, how you gave up hip-thrusting for Lent, Going out to lunch and talking about kitchen plans for summer, "When I look to the sky"-the song that reminded you about Cole-Michael, "I may be deaf, but I can still hear!" Playing our own version of speed scrabble at game night, Singing to Wicked and High School Musical. When you and Zyph visited me at DQ, You asking me about my testimony and how I knew the church was true, The GGG and getting our food handlers permits, Sending Bee away when the kitchen got inspected, How you loved your birthday "june 30", Allowing you to pour the leftover green Jello on me, Fingertips, our Wednesday trips to Park City, You visiting OC when you opened your mission call and I made you tell your Pooped your pants at Prom story to everyone on South, Sharing your love of Aspen Grove and East with me, "We're coming to America!" thinking we could take on our campers at Dodgeball when you came back as a counselor those last 3 weeks, Teaching FHE together to our campers-you were always an amazing teacher, "Thanks for dinner Cole-slaw, but shouldn't you be writing Hardy?" Making up the Harmony to "The quest" and making our own theme song, The Gator waits for No One!!, Letting your fam stay at Hotel DuPaix!, watching Conference with cute Brookie, The night we went to the trading table and sang the chili's song met Cole's family and went to the Rio Grande.  Random Trips to Leatherbys with Zyph, Your fam, and before watching the Hunger Games, Your birthday party at Liberty Park and your love for Salt Lake, Boating with Brittany, "Thanks Jamie" Sysco, crazy night of 777, Taking you and Brandon up to Temple square so he could open up his Mission Call with his parents and then running around trying to find your old companion, Your beautiful farewell and sitting on the sunny porch taking pictures, "It's been a long time"-random song, Your Karaoke Reception, Bowling and ice cream in Salt Lake,  Random Choir song that helped us bond, singing a count down to Brittany's B-day, That you called Harmon's Hormones.  And so, so, so much more!