My heart was (and still is) broken for Rachel & Scott. I certainly didn't know what to say, and I couldn't imagine what they must be feeling. I was so glad to arrive to Utah on Thursday and just be near them and their sweet kids. I watched them all week as they comforted everyone else around them. They knew all the right things to say. They made many difficult decisions, and were very mature. They were incredibly grateful and thankful to everyone for all that was being done.
Rachel & Scott's friends were amazing, proactive, and generous. And the ward members were so loving and serviceable to all of us. So many prayers were being said on our behalf, and that is what likely carried us all through the week.
I am so grateful for my Hale family. We are a good team, and I am so grateful that we have each other. My Parker family was amazing too - they worked around our schedule, were very understanding and helped so much with the kids.
I am SO grateful that the Murray's let me help and gave me assignments - because I desperately needed something to do. It was a healing process for me to make video slide shows of her life for the family and for the viewing. I cried and cried while listening to songs and pouring over pictures of sweet, little Ellie. I was happy to help make the program what they wanted and was honored to take some pictures to try to capture what we were all feeling. My sister-in-law, Kacie, made Ellie's beautiful dress and deserves the credit for the displays at the viewing. Our talents complimented one another, and we were so glad to help and be involved.
I am also very appreciate to my friends who helped get us out the door. A friend brought in dinner, my visiting teacher provided me with presents for the kids during the drive and travel binders full of activities for them to do. The kids asked me who made them - how did they know that I didn't make them? :) Another friend, ran an errand for me and others helped me find the most lovely songs for the slideshows. It was a group effort, for sure.
Brandon was a big support during everything as well. We helped each other as we grieved in our own ways. He let me work and get stuff done. He picked up the pieces around me as the week went on. He was able to drive with us one way, and let me catch up on much needed sleep in the car. He did a good job clearing his work scheduled towards the end of the week, so he could help where needed. And our kids did quite well considering the circumstances. I felt like they knew Ellie because they had been praying for her for the last 15 months. During Ellie's life, every prayer my children said included her in it. We are helping them transition now to please bless Rachel and Scott and our Murray cousins in Omaha, and helping our kids understand that we will all get to see Ellie again one day!
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| Gardening with Nana |
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| Look at these cute cousins! |
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| Playing in Nana's fairy garden after playing on the zipline |
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| At the cemetery near Ellie's plot - it is the most amazing spot |
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| Kendall & Hailey - just a few months apart |
It was such a fun surprise to see my dear friend, Chrissy at the viewing! Her and her husband happened to be in Utah for interviews and made the effort to come down. They are in the same ward as the Murray's in Omaha (Chrissy is the Primary President to about a kajillion kids!) and they used to be in our last ward here in Arizona until we both moved. It was so good to see her, and she is one of the nicest people I know.
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| Ellie's cousins and siblings who all love her very much! |
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| I sure do love this family of mine! And can someone please tuck in that little boy's shirt!? :) |
2 comments:
Oh, looking at all these pictures brings tears to my eyes again. You did a FABULOUS job Whitney!! Everything looked so good. I was so, so happy I could come. It was SO GOOD to see you. We sure do love your family and the Murrays. They are still in my prayers too.
Such beautiful pictures! So fun you got to see Chrissy! So sorry for your loss!
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