Monday I called a couple of stores to see if anyone had an engraving pen. I found one in Elgin, just 10 minutes down the road at an Ace Hardware store. I got that and was able to engrave MSR 69-22 on 13 Buc-ee keychains we got over the weekend. Mike loved Buc-ee's, so we personalized the keychains for everyone in the family to have as a memorial for him.
Tuesday morning I had a hair appointment, so I dropped Mary off at Hannah's for a couple of hours. The girl was fast and answered all my questions about my hair. I wish she made me more blonde but oh well.
Mary hasn't been sleeping well, I think she is teething. She has been biting her teething toys and rubbing them on her gums for a while now. I think the discomfort is now affecting her sleep. She is also getting better and better at sitting up and not toppling over.
Thursday we got a ride to the airport from my ministering sister, Malea's, husband, Sonny. It was so nice of him to give us a ride at 6:30 am. We met up with Matt, Hannah, and Addie at the airport. The flight went well, it was Mary's first time flying. Mary slept for the first 40 minutes and was playful for the rest of the flight. Hannah's grandparents picked us up in Provo and drove us to North Salt Lake. We got to keep one of their cars for the week, which was very generous of them. Shortly after we arrived we went to the Salt Lake airport to pick up Sam. He would be able to be home for a week for the funeral services and to be with family. He will go back to Indiana next Thursday. We went to the mortuary in the evening to see if the family wanted an open or closed casket funeral. We all ultimately decided that the mortuary did a good job of making Mike look how he did in life and that we would have an open casket funeral.
Friday we had a relaxed morning. We got ready and set everything up at the mortuary for the viewing at 6 pm. Mom and Dad came to the viewing and watched Mary for me for most of the evening. It was nice to see them there.
Saturday we went to a park in North Salt Lake and had family pictures taken. Joe and Brooke have a friend who is a photographer who offered to capture the day for free, which was so lovely. We then drove to the church for a pre-viewing where people could come and see Mike one more time before the casket was closed. Mom, Dad, Eliza, James, Jacob, Brianna, Lizzy, and Finley all came to the funeral. They watched Mary for me so I could be present for the program. Before the funeral, Paul led the family prayer and brought a beautiful spirit into the room. Everyone was excused besides Wendy, her kids, their spouses, and children. We then took turns giving Mike a gift before the casket was closed. Paul and I stamped Mary's hands and feet on some paper as our last gift to him. After the casket was closed, we followed it into the chapel and followed the program for the funeral. Joe, Adam, Rachel, and Sam all spoke. They did a great job sharing their memories and tributes to their father. The young women in the ward prepared a musical number that was well performed. I was honored to lead the music for the opening and closing hymns. The casket was then transported to the hearse and taken to the cemetery up by the Bountiful temple. Sam, Mike's father, dedicated the grave. We all got to place flowers on Mike's casket and Paul helped Mary release a balloon at the graveside. After the burial, we had a luncheon back at the church. Some of Mike's relatives shared memories of him as a young man. It was nice to hear all their stories.
Sunday morning we attended church via zoom from Wendy's home. Paul handed out the keychains we engraved and shared some thoughts about Mike. We went to see Elaine that afternoon and played dominos with her. She loved meeting Mary and was excited to hold her. After our visit with Elaine, Paul was feeling nostalgic for the times he spent with her in Tooele. She wasn't up for the drive so we took Paul's youngest brother, Andy, and did a Tooele tour. It was a lot of fun to go for a drive, hear about Paul's childhood memories, and spend time together.
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