Dealing with Death and a Happy Birthday!!!

Well, the funeral was yesterday and it looked more like a stake conference than a funeral. William's family moved here in 1978 when it was a really small town. He worked for the border patrol and he has been a bishop, stake president and good friend to just about everyone in town it seems. The funeral was very nice. We had to sing with our kids. And for those who know us we are not a musically gifted family. I think we relied on a couple grandkids and the parents just sounded ok. I think my voiced cracked through the whole thing. The service was good but the parts that struggled through were when his boys gave the different prayers. Daniel gave a family prayer before the funeral then the family walked in behind the caskit. We took up the whole center of the chapel. Seriously, some of the family had to go sit in the non reserved area and they had to open the overflow and set up chairs. It was amazing to see how many people really love Dennis and Lauana. William gave the opening prayer and Jimmy gave the closing prayer. George dedicated the grave. These prayers were the only times I could really sense the grief in my husband and his brothers. They are all so strong. I on the other hand couldn't hold it in. How could I with my kids really missing their grandpa already. Anyway, After the dedication of the grave we had a family meal at the church and the Relief Society in their ward provided us with a Mexican buffet. We requested not to have funeral potatoes and green jello. Haha!



Now that we are home things have settled a little but they are getting harder for me emotionally. William is so tough so far. Mason on the other hand is the one struggling to understand. It was the best thing we could have done taking him to the funeral and the viewing. He got to hold Grandpas cold hand and touch his soft gray hair. I let all my kids touch him. They were so curius about death and before we went Mason really thought he would see Grandpa at the church. Tonight right before bed Mason came upstairs crying. I was in his room getting his pajamas and he came to me in tears and said "I miss my Grandpa. I don't want him to be dead." I just hugged him and let him cry it out for a while as tears streamed down my cheeks too. Then we talked again for a few minutes about heaven and where Grandpa is now. Then we brushed his teeth said prayers and I put him to bed. I went in to the girls rooms and did a few routine things and when I walked pasted Mason's room I thought he was asleep already but he quietly whispered to me, "Mom, will you sing me Grandpa's funeral song?" So I laid down with him and sang the song twice and I am a child of god once and he was out. My poor sweet Mason really misses he grandpa. I am so glad we moved here when we did cause although it is tough do deal with the death of a person we care so much for, I think it would have been even harder to regret my children not getting a chance to know their grandpa. While in Utah we were just too far away to visit often. My goal now is to visit Arizona often enough to be able to have my kids get to know their Mortensen and Davis grandparents. Not sure yet what to do about Grandpa Franklin being in Utah. But I want my kids to really love their grandparents.



Well Happy Birthday to Emily and William! She turned 6 and he turned 36 today. William woke up very sick and Emily didn't realize it was her birthday since her party is tomorrow. But she was excited when I told her we could open her presents from us tonight. Then, we went in my bed to watch The Game Plan that she got for a gift. She fell asleep in the end of it and we could not wake her until I started taking off her clothes to put on her pj's. This is what she looked like...
I wonder if she is going to laugh or be embarrassed by this picture in the morning. I guess you can say we are all very physically and emotionally drained lately.