Missing "Miss Sally"

She was the first one to welcome me into the neighborhood 28 years ago. 
She was my mentor when I started working at Jacque's preschool.
She was my next door neighbor.
She was my children's nursery leader, primary teacher, young women's leader.
She was the Relief Society President.
She was a leader, a friend, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a listener, a helper.
Sally was someone EVERYONE loved and admired.  She was everybody's friend.


Sally was diagnosed with terminal cancer almost 5 years ago, but you would never know it if you
hadn't been told.  She lived her life no different after finding out than she did before.  I would still see her smiling and helping others, never dwelling on her own malady.  She would be out mowing her lawn up until just a couple of months ago.

Maybe this is why the news of her final moments and passing has had such an impact on me.  Because she
was always bright and cheery and doing things for others, I didn't see her pain and I was accustomed to her always being here, being Sally.  I didn't ever think that I would be someone who would regret leaving things unsaid when a loved one passed.  I do now.   I didn't take as many opportunities to visit her and let her know I cared and was thinking about her, especially the last month or so when I sensed something was going on.  I was so focused on my own little world and my hectic life this past year, that I didn't stop to keep in touch with her as I should have.  In a way, I guess I was fearful of what to say to her.  I would occasionally ask her how she was feeling, but I didn't go the extra mile.  I haven't really had anyone close to me be diagnosed with a terminal illness.  I didn't quite know what to say.     I didn't realize that her time was nearing an end.  I didn't get to say goodbye.  I feel like such a poor example of a neighbor and friend.


My mind has been flooded with quotes and song lyrics that describe Sally.  The one I really love is the one from the musical "Wicked" titled "For Good".  Excerpts below:  It was actually referred to at Sally's funeral as well.

I've heard it said


That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I'm who I am today

Because I knew you...


It well may be


That we will never meet again

In this lifetime

So let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend...

Who can say if I've been


Changed for the better?

I do believe I have been

Changed for the better

And because I knew you...


Because I knew you...


I have been changed for good...




I can't believe that her light is gone, and yet I don't really think it will be. The light that comes from seeing her and talking to her will be gone, but the light of her being, her example lives on in the hearts of all she came in contact with and can never be dimmed..  She made an impact on everyone who knew her.  There aren't alot of people in the world that you can say that about.  I've been privileged to know her, to work with her, to live next to her, to be associated with her in some small way.

Her passing has made me look inward at myself and realize that I want/need to be a better person.  I want to be positive instead of negative.  I need to stop letting my fear and insecurities keep me from reaching out to others.  I need to tell  my family and friends more often that I love them.  I need to be happy.  I need to be an example of Christ's love.   I don't ever want to have regrets again. I can honor her memory by trying to spread her light. I can't be Sally, but I can definitely strive to be better.  That is the impact you have left on me Sally.

Goodbye, dear Sally. I will miss you here on earth. I hope that I will live a life worthy to see you again someday.

MEXICO BOUND!

Matt received his mission call. It only took 3 weeks!  Oh the anticipation!  He is going to the Mexico Puebla Mission!  Yay!  He wanted to learn a language and preferably Spanish!  He leaves January 5, 2011 and his mission farewell is scheduled for .......December 26th at 9:00am!  He wants to try to change it, but I doubt it will happen, so mark your calendars!

It seems like such a long time to wait, but I know it will seem like it will be here tomorrow!  So much to do and get ready!  We are all so happy and proud of him for his decision to go!  I am gonna brush up on my spanish so I can write to him, or interpret if he writes in Spanish! 

He also was ordained an Elder in our home the week before.  Two awesome events!

Te amo mi misionero!!  Pics will be posted soon!

The TWINS are HERE!!

Wow!  Can't believe it has been almost 3 months since the twins were born and I am just now blogging about them.  I will start with how it all unfolded.  June 28-July lst I was scheduled to be at Girl's camp as the camp co-director.  I had warned all the people involved that I would do this, but if the twins came, I would be gone! Kinda of hoping to scare them so that they would call someone else to the position-haha! Maybe even secretly hoping something would happen if I did do it and I could leave camp early! With twins, I knew anything was possible.   Monday, June 28th we set up camp.  I would check my phone frequently to see if anyone had called to say anything was happening with Jenny.  Everytime I checked -nothing.  Same thing on Tuesday, June 29th, everytime I checked, and I was quite faithful at checking every hour or so, still nothing.  I had been keeping my phone by me at night just in case.  Well after keeping a vigilant watch for any messages or calls I may have missed and not receiving anything, I decided on the night of the 29th to just turn the phone off for the night to save the battery.  

I awoke about 6:30 am Wed, June 30th and decided to go ahead and take a shower since no one else was stirring.(Yes, we were lucky enough to get a camp with nice showers!)  I turned on my phone to check for messages, nothing!  I was actually getting a little discouraged at this point because I really was kind of hoping that I would get "the call"  that something was happening so I could leave camp early!( haha)  I went ahead and turned the phone off and headed to the shower.

After showering, I proceeded to gather supplies to get started with breakfast.  I went ahead and woke the girls up, we cooked breakfast, ate it, and were starting to clean up when.........the YW Presidents phone beeped that she had a message.  "Who would be calling me"she questioned.  She read her message outloud----"Have Sister Maycock call her family as soon as possible, she may have grandbabies soon"!  "No way" I yelled.  "Someone is playing a trick on me", I  exclaimed!  I really didn't believe it at first.  Then I went to go check my phone, which I hadn't checked since  before my shower.  I turned the phone on, sure enough there was a message that had come in around 5:30 am that Jenny was headed to the hospital.  Then another one that said the twins were already here!  Why this message didn't show up when I checked my phone earlier, I don't know.  I began to be nervous and anxious!  I screamed and jumped up and down for joy!  Everyone said, you have to go, you have to go! I started packing with tears in my eyes.  I couldn't believe I had missed it all, but I knew I would have to head straight to Cedar City and hurry and get there.  About 5 hours later, I met my two new angelic grandbabies!  Yay!  Here they are!

Ava Grace 4 lbs. 15oz.

Wyatt Jacob 5 lbs 8 oz.

Mandi and Jordan get Married!