The week of Josh's birthday was rough. The Sunday before, I came down with a nasty, rotten summer cold. Everyone knows those are
the worst.
That Monday I had my 2nd root canal in as many months. Root canals really aren't that bad, but they are when there are complications - which I had. The antibacterial stuff they put in my tooth somehow made it's way out of my tooth and up into my cheek. All of a sudden the space between my lip and my nose on the left side of my face felt like it was being stabbed with a flaming knife. It. Hurt. It didn't help that the dentist kinda freaked out for about a minute. I guess this is a super rare complication, and if not taken care of quickly can lead to some pretty bad stuff. But they got it under control and I survived. I don't blame my dentist - he's a really good dentist. I blame the stupidly weird roots in my teeth, which have been giving me nothing but problems this summer. Stupid teeth. I came out of that experience a bit dazed, sore, and with prescriptions for antibiotics and steroids.
On the plus side, both of these medications really helped with my cold symptoms, so there's that!
On Tuesday I was getting home from a nice long walk when my Dad called to let me know that my Grandpa John had died. (Grandpa John is my mother's father.) This was kind of a surprise but not really. Grandpa had been living in a nursing home for several years due to Parkinson's disease. He'd been on the decline for a while, but seemed to be doing better this summer. I had decided quite a while ago that when Grandpa died I would do all I could to go out to the funeral. It seemed important not only because he was my Grandpa and I loved him, but because since my mom died I felt like I should go for her
and because I'm the oldest grandchild on that side of the family. (More on that later.)
So I got home and started looking for plane tickets and making preparations to leave on Friday. That weekend the primary was practicing for the annual Primary Program, so I had to find a substitute pianist. Thank heavens for my friend Sheri Easton, who happily accepted my plea for help. For most people this favor would have been daunting, but she's both an amazing pianist and friend. (Also, it must be pointed out that I was grateful Grandpa hadn't died a week later - I don't know that I would have had the nerve to ask her to sub for me for the actual program!)
Wednesday was busy with Josh's Arrow of Light ceremony and all of that. Wednesday night I was busy being super sick with food poisoning. Oh the joys. I was up until 4am, and my stupid FitBit app kept telling me I needed to get more sleep. That's all I'm going to say about that because I really just don't want to remember it.
Thursday I pretty much did nothing because I was so weak and tired. (And by 'nothing' I mean just the laundry, some cleaning, and grocery shopping. The life of a mom...) Seriously, it was miserable.
But by Friday I was feeling a bit better. Not well enough to eat, but certainly well enough to travel! My flight didn't get into SLC until 11:30. Dad and Susie picked me up and we were home in Provo well after midnight. I was exhausted.
But not exhausted enough to overcome jet lag, apparently. I was up by 5am. Yuck. This gave me plenty of time to get ready to head out to Tooele for the funeral, though! I drove out with my brothers and my Grandma Roper, who I really appreciated coming. She has always had just wonderful things to say about my Burgoyne Grandparents. I remember her telling me once that my Grandma Burgoyne was one of those most lovely women she had ever met. That stuck with me, especially since Grandma Burgoyne died when I was around 10, so I don't remember her very well.
The viewing was a little odd - but aren't all viewings? It was nice to see all my aunts and uncles and cousins there, though. Everyone all agreed that Grandpa looked odd in the casket, not because he was dead but because he didn't have his glasses on. He NEVER did not have his glasses!
The funeral was one of the best I have been to, which is kind of a weird thing to say but absolutely true. My uncle Dale gave the eulogy and my aunt Heidi read memories from each of the kids. One of my grandpa's best friends (and neighbor for decades) spoke for a bit, and it was fun to hear about grandpa from someone other than a family member. My dad gave an excellent talk, too, about the plan of salvation, and paying tribute to grandpa.
I have to stop here for a second and just give kudos to Dad and Susie - they helped Grandpa so much in the last few years since they were the family that lived the closest to him. They helped him move and made sure he came to family dinners throughout the year. They also did a ton for the funeral and basically all the work in clearing out Grandpa's room at the nursing home. I'm just impressed at all of the service they have given to him. They are a great example to me.
I didn't take many photos during this trip - I'm REALLY kicking myself that we didn't get a single family picture during the day. How did no one think of this?! It would have been so easy during the meal after! Dang it. I don't think the Burgoyne's are into pictures.
I did get a few pictures from the graveside service. My grandpa served in the Korean war, so he got full military honors. (Fun fact: I had asked him in the past about Korea and he always shrugged it off like it was no big deal and that he didn't do much. Turns out that wasn't quite true. The things you learn about people at their funerals!) ((Fun fact #2: He had originally planned to make the military a career. Then he went to the Korean War and decided, no, in fact he did not want to make the military a career. So he became a dentist instead. Good choice, Grandpa.)) (((I wonder if he ever encountered stupid teeth like mine?)))
They did a rifle salute, but with only 4 guns because there weren't enough available veterans in the area. Also, those veterans were so old! There were several points during the ceremony - especially during the flag folding - when I thought someone might have to go help or even catch one of those guys. Good heavens! But I was certainly all the more grateful for them.
The pall bearers.
My grandpa's cousin brought up jars of red dirt from the "K Hill" in Kanab, where my grandpa grew up. Each of Grandpa's remaining children got to pour the dirt into the grave, which I thought was interesting and nice.
Here I am with all the Burgoyne cousins. (Minus the Ben and Zach, who are both serving their missions in Paris right now. Oh, and plus my cousin Sarah's fiance and cousin Stephen's brand new wife.) Anywho, can you tell I am SO much older than all of my cousins on that side! I was a teenager when Megan (the next oldest besides my brothers) was born. I remember when they were all born! In fact, I have 2 kids who are younger than Elsie, my youngest cousin on this side! That's because my mom was the 2nd oldest in her family and got married and had kids quite a bit earlier than her siblings.
The "outlaws" of the family (L-R): Susie, Dad, Susan (Dale's wife), Doug, Dave, and Leslie.
The remaining Burgoyne children: Dale, Lisa, Heidi, and Neil. (My mom and uncle Gary both died in 2004.)
At the graveside service with Grandma Roper.
That evening we had a quick dinner with the family at the home Heidi and Doug rented. It was nice to just chat and catch up with everyone! This side of the family doesn't do a regular reunion like the Ropers do. I really wish they would!
Sunday I went to church in Dad and Susie's ward, and it was nice to get to go to Sunday school and RS, although after being in Primary for so long I've found it's hard to pay attention and hold still! :) We also had a small Roper family dinner that night, and it was fun to surprise that side of the family because most didn't know I was in town.
Monday was spent packing and getting ready to leave. Dad and Susie took Kyle and I out to lunch at the Galilee Grill. It was delicious and I was particularly fond of the table numbers! (Camels are my fave.)
Things seemed to be looking up for me - until I got into Indy late at night and realized my luggage had not joined me on the trip. I think I waited by the luggage carousel longer than I normally would have because I was so tired. I couldn't even make a big fuss about it at the Southwest counter. (I probably wouldn't have anyways, but still. Tired. And no luggage.)
It took Southwest 2 days to get my suitcase to me. It wasn't the end of the world, but all my make-up and hair stuff was in there, so I looked awesome. Plus, for some reason I had packed my glasses, so I was without those, too, which was fairly inconvenient. I always put my glasses in my carry-on, but not this time! Oh well. Lesson learned.
If my luggage HAD to be lost, at least it was on the way home and not on the way out. (Can you even imagine? I'd have to rush to buy new clothes and shoes and make-up and get ready... it makes me stressed out just thinking about it.
My grandpa was a good man. He took care of his family. He was married to his first wife, Regina, for 30 years, many of which she was sick with cancer. And then he was married to Nancy for another 30 years. He lost a son and a daughter and a daughter-in-law within one year, but I never heard him question his testimony or complain about the unfairness of it all. (But it sure did age him, I think.) I think he always felt bad that he didn't serve a mission when he was young - when I was a teenager and in college he always seemed to bring up the importance of missions and the temple when we were around him. I got the feeling that he felt he had set a bad example in that respect. Which was crazy, because he and Nancy served several couple missions and then worked in the SLC temple for years and years! And he served faithfully in the church in so many different callings before that. He was anything but a bad example!
Grandpa was a funny guy. But not outright funny - he had a dry sense of humor you had to watch out for. He'd be quiet during family dinners and then quietly make some hilarious comment. He was known to tell fairly inappropriate jokes when the time was right. (Mostly of the good-natured, sexist variety; you knew he didn't mean them and that made them funnier!) Grandpa loved a good steak and fancy Snelgrove's vanilla ice cream. You knew what you were going to get to eat when you went to his house for dinner!
I'm grateful to have known my grandfather and to have had him in my life for so long. I'm grateful for the legacy and example he left. And I'm very grateful I was able to celebrate his life with the rest of my family at his funeral.
