It has been almost a year since I posted.  Our sweet mother, Afton passed away on March 15th,  it was sad to say good by for a while, but it was a real blessing for her.  She had gotten really miserable and weak and it was hard to keep her comfortable.  I am posting a picture of most of our family on the day she got buried.

She was 102 years old and lived an amazing life.  I have some funny stories about her I will try to write.  In 1977 we took Afton with us to California.  We were at Knotts Berry Farm and there was an upside down roller coaster.  I was not going to ride on it, but all of a sudden Afton was in lime.  I thought I better be brave enough to ride if she was.    So I got on the ride and kept my eyes closed the whole time.  I learned that day that she had an adventurous spirit and loved to travel and try new things.  I didn't even know that about her until that day because she was always home taking care of the people she loved.  She didn't ever travel very much.  Another time we were having Harding family pictures.  When she came to pick Dennis and I up, I was trying to fix my hair.  I had a perm and cut that day and it was horrible.  The lady had given me such a horrible perm that she just sent me home.  Before I knew it Afton was on the phone telling the beauty shop off.  I was so embarrassed, but I knew right then I had an advocate.  Well I won't go on and on, but she was one of the kindest most caring person I have known.  I was lucky to have the best mother in law in the world.

This week I have had some thoughts in my mind I just cannot get rid of.  A little over four years ago my sister  (she was 48) committed suicide.  It has been  something I can never understand.  This week we had a neighbor's son commit suicide.  He did it in the same way Lori did.  I felt so bad for the family and cannot even comprehend how bad his parents feel.  Not only that it brought every feeling I had four years ago to the surface again.  Another neighbor started an internet discussion about suicide.  She believed that the topic should be brought out in the open and discussed.  She is correct, but I can understand how much shock the family is in right now.  I could not even speak at first.  I could not even talk to the people I was closest to for  a while.  I just needed time to absorb it and figure out what I needed to do.  I knew I had a funeral to plan, her house to take care of and on and on.  It just takes some time to pull yourself somewhat together.  When I was notified my whole body reacted.  I almost fell to my knees in the middle of the street.  I thought I was doing really well and until all the feelings came back this week.  But the reality is we live in a beautiful world, surrounded by people that we love and that love us.  I find joy in this world.  Of course I am sad sometimes and we all go through really hard things, but we just have to remember we have a loving Heavenly Father that has given us beauty, peace, and people to love.

In February we were lucky and got to go to Disneyland with the Tew family.  It was really fun.  Disneyland has been celebrating their 60th birthday and has been crowded.  It doesn't matter I still love being there.

I have not posted for a while.  Taking care of two mothers (one just turned 102)and the other is 93.  It is lots of work when I have Afton (102) with us.  She had her 102 birthday.  She has a lot of anxiety and some pain so it is hard to keep her happy and peaceful.  It breaks my heart to watch her body fail.  Here are some pictures.  This is her nephew James Pinegar.  He came to visit her on her birthday.  It is amazing that she is still here. Afton was born in 1914.  When you take a look at history it is hard to believe what she has experienced in her life time.

Ok It has been a busy six weeks.  My graduation, our family trip to Disney Land, Dennis had surgery, Stratton was baptized and Jeremiah  left for his mission to Uganda.  That is why I have been so horrible about keeping my history blog up.  Really it has been an amazing few weeks and I have loved every minute of it!  Now I am back in to the mess of life.  Taking care of Grandma Harding right now and my mother.  Dementia is depressing and difficult and they both have it in the extreme!

Recent events.  Mom turned 93 and at her birthday pulled her dentures out and along with her dentures the tooth that held her partial plate in.  It was sad and she had to have the roots removed.  She was brave, but was on a soft diet for a few days.  To top that off Afton is with us right now.  She has had a bladder infection and is 101 (what does that tell you)  It has been an eventual few weeks.  The big event for me is I finally graduated from BYU.  Here are the pictures.  What did I learn from all this.  Be patient and you can take a little lady to the bathroom 100 times in a day.  When your little mom starts to shake after the dentist, feed her a shake.  The sugar can work wonders.  And the third things is never think it is too late to accomplish a worthwhile goal. Go for it!