June 2017

I've already posted about our trip to the Cayman Island, and about our precious Brody, so this post is the rest of June happenings. 

June 3rd - A little excursion to Jensen's Grove with the boat.  Randy and Jared love water skiing, Ryder and Molly like going fast and watching their daddies.

June 13 - Trip to Lava Hot Springs.  It just happened on a Tuesday that Blake, Brian and Randy all had the day off.  We decided to take a ride to Lava, we thought we were going to go the splash park and kid pool, but it didn't open until noon, so we just went over to the hot pools.  It was a chilly, rainy day but we had a great time anyway. Poor Jared was the only one working that day, we missed him. 

June 17th - Celebrated Clark's 2nd birthday.  His birthday is on the 18th, but we celebrated on the 17th, he didn't seem to care.  He loved the new cars, trucks and tractors that he got.  

Other happenings on the 17th - riding Grandma Great's scooter, fixing a ramp at her house, riding the little 4wheeler around the yard, all boys wearing red shirts, wearing a helmet just in case you go on the 4wheeler, and roasting marshmallows.

While we were outside a dog named Norman came to visit.  We found out later that he was a neighbors dog and got away from them.  He was such a nice little dog.  Clark and Annie loved him, Clark chased him, Annie held him. Molly wasn't so sure about him, but brought him a drink.

June 30 - Cindy and Ken surprised us by showing up! Blake and I were eating at Texas Roadhouse when I got a call that said "home".  When I answered, Cindy said "where are you?" We hurried and ate and came home.  She sent a group text with the picture on the top left and said who wants to come and play?  Within two hours all the boys were there.  It was great impromptu reunion.  They brought some surprises for the kids, so we had to play with their toys and games.  Such a fun, happy surprise.

We went outside and blew some bubbles.

The littles rode the trike.

Jared helped the little ones climb the tree, and Cindy tried to get to know them better.  Clark wasn't sure about it, and wouldn't take a turn being lifted up, but Molly and Ryder loved it.

Annie and Molly love playing together, and everyone loves being with Grandpa.  Dallin and Kayleen and Ryan and Samuel Leifson came to visit and had fun playing with the kids.

Cindy took care of her brothers eye brows for them, my sister Lynne and brother in law were here to visit too, we just visited and played.  It was a great evening.

Dallin brought his spike ball game and it was a hit.  

Maden played machine pitch baseball this year.  They played at the beautiful Iona Park.  I missed the 1st two games because I was at the Cayman's .  I went to the rest of the games to watch Annie and Clark while Celia coached.  Clark didn't like to leave Celia the first couple of times I was there, so I thought hard and finally decided to take my trike and coax him to me with it.  It worked like a charm, by the end he would come running when he saw me with the trike.

The first game I went to was so cold! Courtney even had to wrap up in a blanket!

Maden got some pretty good hits, he has really improved since last year.

They played all the positions, changing every 2 innings.  This was the only time I saw Maden play catcher. Annie, Molly, Clark and Ryder had a great time playing in the park.  They loved running down this little hill.

Annie is so cute with Molly, taking her hand and helping her get up on the playground equipment.  One game had a rain delay, Maden came and sat by me and said, "I'm a little annoyed with the rain." Then the rain stopped and they played in the mud. Clark and Molly loved dragging Annie around.

Cindy and Ken even got to see one game and they bought us a snow cone! I only got this one picture of Celia coaching. Grandpa even made it to the last game. It was a fun baseball season!

Now for some randomness.  Just some everyday activities.

Molly at the splash pad, Clark roasting a marshmallow, Ryder mowing the grass, Super Annie, Nikelle and Ryder taking a selfie, Ryder in his firetruck.

Clark and Annie playing with some magnets, Clark swinging, Ryder helping Grandpa pick up pine cones, Cute Clark jumping with some birthday balloons, Maden, Annie, Ryder and Molly watching Mickey Mouse while they eat, Ryder laughing at the cars on the track.

Celia and the kids watching the sunset on the longest day of the year, Ryder helping Grandpa mow, Ryder and Grandpa meeting Sage the big dog, Annie and Maden painting hot rocks with crayons.

Ryder helping get the boat ready, putting a pine cone in his truck, Brian, Maden and Annie on the boat, Randy helping Annie ride her little 4wheeler.

Brody John Purcell

Our 6th grandchild, Brody John Purcell, son of Jared and Nikelle and little brother to Molly was silently born Friday, June 23.  He was perfect and beautiful. 

Nikelle felt that something was not right on Thursday morning and went to the Doctor's office where they could not find a heart beat, and did an ultrasound and confirmed that little Brody had passed on.  Nikelle called me about noon and told me the unbelievable news.  She was 37 weeks along.  Blake happened to be off work that day, so we headed for Idaho Falls to be with Jared and Nikelle.  There were many tears shed, and hugs given.  Blake and Jared gave Nikelle a blessing and soon after, I could feel a peace enter their home.  Nikelle says as the afternoon went on, she felt like she had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.  She was still scared, but felt calm and peaceful.  Soon, Brian came, then Randy, Courtney and Ryder.  Blake, Randy and Brian gave Jared a blessing, and the feeling of peace just increased.  Celia, Maden, Annie and Clark came soon too, we all just needed to be together and be as supportive as possible.  

Jared and Nikelle left for the Mountain View Hospital at about 6:15.  They asked for me to come to the hospital after they were all situated in the room.  I got there about 8:00pm and they were just putting her epidural in.  There were many little and some large tender mercies that night, I am sure they were not coincidences.  The staff at the hospital was so kind and respectful, the epidural worked great and was a wonderful blessing for Nikelle. Her nurse was amazing, so sweet and kind.  As the night progressed, she told Nikelle that she had gone through a similar ordeal and that is why she went into nursing because her nurse had made all the difference. Nikelle's parents live in New Hampshire and when Nikelle called her mom to tell the sad news, her parents were 10 minutes away from the Boston Airport, taking some friends to catch a plane to Salt Lake.  Lori was able to get on the flight with with their friends and got to the hospital about 1 hour before the delivery. 

As things progressed and the delivery would be soon, Lori and I left the room.  The delivery went really smoothly and Nikelle said she was calm and peaceful. He was born about 2:30am.  The staff told them to take as much time with Brody as they needed. Lori went in to see the baby and I waited for Blake.  Blake had gone and slept at his mothers for a while. When he came, we went in to see Brody and Jared and Nikelle.  He was 6lbs 9oz and perfect.  I knew when I held him that I was holding an angel.  There was no doubt in my mind that this was just his body, and that his spirit is living and he is where he should be, it was a very sacred experience.  After awhile, Randy and Courtney came, then they went back to stay with all the kids and Brian and Celia came. We were all sad, but all felt the peace in the room, I don't even know how to describe it.

I am so thankful that we have some pictures to help us remember Brody.  We now have one grandchild that did not have to be tried and tested, he just needed to get a body.  I know that he waiting for us to join him!

All I could do was tell Brody that I love him and to prepare the way for us.  Blake had to work at Mountain View that morning, so came one last time before he started work.

A sweet photographer came and took some precious pictures.  

They did an autopsy and determined that his cord had been twisted so much that it wouldn't let the blood and poisons leave his body. Jared and Nikelle have been so strong and have such faith that Brody only needed to get a body, and he did that and now is living on and waiting for them to join him.

The next step was planning a graveside service.  We would have liked to have had it Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, but due to some things out of our control, it was decided that it would be held on Saturday, July 1st.  That turned out to be another blessing because Cindy and Ken surprised us by showing up at our house on Friday.

It was a beautiful service and so many many people came to support Jared, Nikelle and Molly.

I am so grateful for my knowledge that this family is forever!