April.3

 Today was Kyle's funeral, but I am going to make this post about the whole St George weekend.

We left on Wednesday evening after work and headed to Chad and Christine's house. We got there around 9 pm, so just had a quick little visit with them and went to bed. It was good to see them and catch up with them. 

Thursday morning we left there house at about 7:00 and headed down to St George. We got there about 10:00, and just spent the day with the family. Janae was there with her kids, tyanna got there early Thursday morning (after driving all night with Emil, Eva and Chandler), Ezra, Aaron and mom and dad were there. Teija got there later in the afternoon.

We swam, hung out, had lunch, went and visited the Gulbranson's at Mel and Kathi's. It was so good to see Kasey. We visited with Mel and Kathi, Kaelen, Korlyn, Garyn, Kasey etc. I just love that family and am so grateful for them. It was really really sad to mourn the loss of Kyle. He was such a great man and a great brother to all of them. I know they are grieving the loss so profoundly and feel his absence ever so largely. 

It was good to be with so much family.

The funeral was beautiful. It was a wonderful mix of laughs and tears, of sorrow and hope. Kyle was a great man and he will be greatly missed. His daughter Clara sang the most beautiful rendition of Amazing Grace that I have ever heard. It was the most powerful gut wrenching song. There was not a dry eye in the chapel. 

After the funeral we had the luncheon then had to head back to SLC. Tyanna, me Thomas and Leah and Ezra all headed to Aarons around 5. Ezra continued on and drove home to Rexburg. The rest of us stayed at Aaron's because Leah had her volleyball tournament the next morning early for the whole day. It was such an amazing fun tournament. They won the entire tournament and came in 1st place in the Gold cup. They played amazing and it was literally the funnest thing ever. I'm so glad that we got to be there and watch her. Leah did great. It was also so fun to have Tyanna there to watch Leah for the second half of the day. (she had gone to spend time with Miranda for the morning).

Mom, Dad and Janae showed up part way through the final. So it was fun to have them there as well.

I am grateful for my family and the opportunity to be all together. I am sad that it was for a funeral again. I am so sad for Kyle's sweet wife Mindy and his kids as well as the rest of the Gulbranson family. May God be with you till we meet again, Kyle. Love you.