7 Years

7 years ago, I came home from work and received a message from MarLa's mom to call her.  I knew it was not good.  She was recovering from a hysterectomy.  The doctors had made a grave error and she was gone.  My best friend of 18 years was gone at age 43.  WHY?  Unbelieveable... I cried like a baby.  We had been best friends for 18 years - good, bad, happy and sad.  I had to drive 35 miles to face her husband, who was ultimately responsible for all of this and her two young sons, her two step daughters and 2 young step grandkids.  I was 2 weeks away from being 40 and she was gone.  For almost half of my life, she was my wild and crazy bestie.  She was loving, kind hearted, SPIT FIRE!  She dealt with some hard things in her life.  She was so afraid to have surgery.  She was afraid she was going to die!  I know she is at peace and no longer has to suffer.

The lyrics from the song played at her service

Here Without You by Three Doors Down

A hundred days have made me older

Since the last time that I saw your pretty face.

A thousand lies have made me colder

And I don't think I can look at this the same.

All the miles that separate

Disappear now when I'm dreamin' of your face.

I'm here without you baby

But you're still on my lonely mind.

I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time.

I'm here without you baby

But you're still with me in my dreams

And tonight, it's only you and me.

The miles just keep rollin'

As the people leave their way to say hello

I've heard this life is overrated

But I hope that it gets better as we go.

Everything I know, and anywhere I go,

It gets hard but it won't take away my love.

And when the last one falls, when its all said and done.

It gets hard but it won't take away my love.

Time has healed some of the hurt.  There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of her, the crazy things we did, the memories we shared, the late night phone calls, the early phone calls and especially the laughs. 

God be with you til we meet again!!!

Memorial Day

Low key, beautiful weather in Denver, and my wonderful Chef Tyler... cooking steak and burgers on the BBQ.  He had a late shift at his job as a security guard tonight...

Michele

This beautiful girl is my cousin Michele.  She is currently living in Utah.  She left me a message a couple weeks ago letting me know she was going to be in Denver for one night before heading to the east coast to visit some friends.  She just graduated with a Masters Degree and is currently working at the University of Utah.  She just got back from Italy - it was a part of her school program (lucky girl).  My sister Janet and I picked her up from the airport on Friday night and we went to dinner at DiCicco's for some yummy Italian food.  We had an amazing night of catching up, memories and laughing.  She had an early flight Saturday morning, so the visit was short, but awesome.  I will be making a trip to Utah to visit her soon.  How I love this girl.

Memories of Julie Asay Collings

Julie Asay Collings

October 23, 1944  ~  January 24, 2012

BRIGHAM CITY, UTAH – Julie Asay Collings, age 67, passed away January 24, 2012 at the Brigham City Hospital from causes incidental to metastatic breast cancer. She was born October 23, 1944 in Lovell, Wyoming, the daughter of H. Clifton and Florence (Richeson) Asay.

Julie graduated from Byron, Wyoming High School in 1963 and from Brigham Young University College of Nursing in 1968. She was Assistant Director of Nursing at Utah Valley Hospital and moved to Idaho Falls to become Assistant Hospital Administrator under Intermountain Health Care. She also was Director of Nurses of the Occupational Medical Program at the Idaho National Laboratory. She retired in 2005 from Intermountain Health Care.

She married Lynn Holton Collings on September 1, 1989 in the Idaho Falls Temple. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many capacities, including Young Women's President, and at the time of her death was serving as a Ward Missionary. She and her husband, Lynn, served as Ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple. She was dearly loved by all who knew her because of her never ending love and service to others. Her life was one of great devotion to her family and she will be sorely missed.

She is survived by her husband; two nephews, Kevin Asay, Pocatello and Ken (Desi) Asay, Davis, CA, whom she raised as sons after the death of their mother; step-son, Dennis (Becky) Collings, Salt Lake City; step-daughter, Lisa Collings, Ft. Collins, CO; brother, Don Asay; sister, Kathleen (Henry) Bartlett, Clinton, MT; brother, Tom Asay; brother, Stephen (Christy) Asay, Mission Viejo, CA; sister, Elna Shoji, Henderson, NV; brother, Melvin Asay, TN; sister, Adell Woolf, Garden Grove, CA; and sister, Susan (Harvey) Mathis, Taylorsville, UT. She has eight grandchildren who love her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, David Asay.
Services will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. in the Perry Stake Chapel, 685 W. 2250 South, Perry, Utah, with Bishop Ben Ashcroft conducting. Viewing with be Friday, Jan. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. on at Myers Mortuary, 205 S. 100 E., Brigham City, Utah, and on Saturday from 10:00 to 10:40 a.m. at the Church. At her request the viewing will be closed casket.

Interment will be in the Brigham City Cemetery.

Since I was unable to attend her funeral, my cousin James was in charge of memories from the cousins.  This is what I sent to him to be read:

Thoughts from Colleen Asay:

As the oldest of Julie’s nieces and nephews on the Asay side, my memories go back to when I was 4 years old.  She was in nursing school and she would bring her best friend, Mary Ellen Edmunds, home with her.  Mary Ellen would always bring her guitar and sing songs to my sister Lynette and me.  As the years have gone by, Julie has always emailed me with family updates, both good and bad, both sad and happy.  Her unconditional love for each family member left a heart felt memory with me that I will never forget.  She was a kind, unselfish, had Christlike service characteristics that I will admire forever.  She and Lynn always made an effort to come to our family events when possible.  She was an amazing lady, so sweet, kind and beautiful inside and out.  She always made me feel like I was the most important person in the world.  She had so much love for my son Tyler and that meant the world to me.  I will love you forever, Julie.

HALT! WHO AM I! OUR OWN IDENTITY

These were the words of the talk from Mary Ellen Edmunds on Friday evening at Time Out For Women.  Time Out For Women is a weekend full of motivational talks, singing, sharing, laughing, crying and growing.  Mary Ellen Edmunds is one of my favorite people.  I have known her since I was 4.  She went to nursing school with my Aunt Julie and she used to bring her guitar and come to my grandparents home and sing silly songs to my sister Lynette and I.  Over the years, I have seen her at different family events and Friday evening I was honored and blessed to hear her uplifting words.  She likened us to a carrot.  When you plant a carrot seed, it knows it is a carrot.  It doesn't decide to be a turnip or a potato.  It is destined to be a carrot.  With care and nourishment, it grows and becomes something beautiful and tasty. 

We each have our own identity and nobody can take that away from us.  We are each different and unique.That is what we are meant to be.  With the proper nourishment and caring, we are daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves us.  Throughout the thorns of life, sometimes we are lost and we don't appear to be who we are destined to be.  The world gives us many reasons not to be beautiful and reach our full potential. 

Over the past weekend, I realized I am very dusty and covered with weeds.  It is time to come out, remove the dust and weeds and be my full potential.  This is not an overnight process or a week long process, but the rest of my lifetime process.  One step at a time.

Senior Dinner

Tyler's grad slide.  This is hard to see.  I am going to try to get a copy from the school and I will repost.  The yellow background on the slide means he graduated with HONORS. 

Garrett Crabb.  This is Tyler's best buddy.  He got an English award and they honored Garrett by giving him a Kindle.  He loves to read and was so very excited.

Tyler with his SENIOR ROSE!

As they called each senior up to receive their rose, they asked each student if they wanted to thank anyone.  This is Tyler standing next to Edee, his absolute favorite teacher at VPHS.

Tyler thanking the staff.

Tyler gave a heartfelt thank you to each one of the staff members who had helped him make it through this year.

My Tyler.

Kira Aarestad and Tyler.  She played a very influential part in his classes this year.  She was his Poetry / English teacher.

Tyler and Maura.  Tyler did not have her as a teacher, but he really liked her.

Tyler and Taylor Watkins - his girlfriend.

Taylor and Tyler. 

Tyler and Meredith Changeoux.  She is an amazing teacher and Tyler will always remember her.  Her husband is from Haiti and they have a foundation.  Tyler helped with their fundraiser a week ago and hopes to someday go to Haiti with Meredith and her husband to volunteer at their boys home/school.

Tyler went to Vantage Point High School for his senior year.  It is the alternative school in Adams 5 Star School District.  Unfortunately "ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOLS" get a bad name.  Let me put a plug in for this school - SIMPLY AMAZING.  There are only approximately 240 kids in the entire school.  It is NOT for bad kids, just kids to have a hard time coping in a traditional school setting.  It is the best school ever!  Tyler had an amazing experience at this school, which allowed him to graduate on time.  Wednesday, May 18th was his senior dinner.  All the seniors were invited to share with two people of their choosing to come, have dinner and honor the graduating seniors.  One of the teachers, Tracy Schuster, created a slide show presentation of all the graduating seniors.  Each had a picture of their choosing, had their senior quote and a couple facts about each student.  Of the 63 graduates, three students graduated with "HONORS", Tyler being one of them. 

Update

The last month has been crazy busy.  My sister, Janet (the Boss) turned 40.  It was low key because I was getting prepared for Tyler's Graduation.  This summer will be a make up party for her.  We took her to Macaroni Grill for her birthday dinner.  It was YUMMY!  I got her 3 slices of cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory - Key Lime (her favorite), Vanilla Bean and Peanut Butter Cup. 

She has always been there for me, to support me, to help me in raising Tyler.  She loves Tyler so much and would do anything for him.  She works two jobs, she is funny, loves shopping and shoes.

Dogs love Janet.  Once when she went to the groomers with me to pick up Sadee, all of the dogs that were there to be groomed rolled over for a belly rub.  She is the queen of belly rubs for dogs.  There is something about her that dogs can sense.  We call her Cesarita Milana (the female version of Cesar Milan, the dog whisperer).  She talks to them and they listen.  It is so funny.  My dogs LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her.

I love her and can always count on her to make me laugh no matter what is going on!  Happy Birthday to the BOSS.