Aaaaand we're back!
Life is a weird thing, man. My saintly grandmother, Renee Simmons, passed away and last weekend we attended her funeral. It was awesome. Her death was not awesome. No, far from it. But her funeral was awesome. And why shouldn't it have been? She was an awesome lady. We shared a mutual love for the song, "Have I Done Any Good?" My grandma was definitely more experienced and refined in the application of the song to her life. Now she's with her true love, Mister Curly, once again. And what a beautiful thing that is.
Ah, what a fantastic lady. And to prove it, one of my most favorite quotes from her,
"...and ya know, life, well...life just sucks sometimes!"
Right on, Grandma.
I also on occasion would ask her if she had been born in a different time, with different resources, opportunities and could go to school and have a career, what would she do/study/be? Hypothetically. Each time I presented her with that question, she got the same frustrated look on her face, like that was the dumbest question she'd ever heard, and had the same answer each time. That there was nothing else in this whole world she would have done than raise her 7 children and support her husband. Even if she could have, she knew she had fulfilled the most important calling there is. Which she fulfilled with grace and beauty.
Yep, she was the coolest, and she will be sorely missed.
But where there is death, there is also life!
We went to the doctor on Monday and got to skype with the little babe inside me. He says hey.
We found out that we have a little BOY baking in the oven, as clearly indicated by our wonderfully tactful doctor with the word, "PEEPEE." Maybe not the phrasing I personally would have chosen, but hey. As long as we all understand, right? Right. It's a boy! Woohoo! Little Tommy Jr. pluggin' along in there. I have this app on my phone that tells me details about the growth of the baby each week. This week it informs, " a waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on the skin to prevent it from pickling in your amniotic fluid." Um...babies would pickle without this stuff. Like...a cucumber...changes to a pickle. Pickled herring! Pickled pigs feet! Man, God is one smart cookie. He thinks of everything.
Which is why even among the tragedy of death and the apprehension of life, everything is alright. God has already thought of everything, so it's all good. I sure do love that little boy. Soon I will meet him and it will be so sweet. What a precious time to be found living the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad, or made someone feel glad? If not, I have failed indeed.
