grandma's funeral and something profound

Dear Dallan, Jan 10th 2009
With only two more p-days for you before you come home I feel a great need to write something profound for you to read on one of your last preparation days before you come home and start de-weirding. Actually you are so weird that there is no way you could possibly de-weird. Maybe I should refer to your new venture in trying to speak English. And since you are now fluent in Spanish and Ewok, English shouldn’t be too much of a challenge. Anyway back to something profound. Well I’ll tell you what. I’ve got nothing. After two years of letter writing and letting you ,and the rest of our family laugh and laugh at the funny things in my life. IF you haven’t found anything profound in anything I have said let me just tell you how proud of you I am.
I am proud of you.
There something profound.
Actually I would like to let you know that you are a giant in my eyes. All of my brothers are. (My sisters are more like magical fairies) I am glad that you made the choice to serve a mission. I know it could not have been an easy thing to do. I am proud of you for working hard to learn Spanish. I’m sure that when you arrived in Mexico you had no idea what anybody was saying but now you will come home and not be able to order a whopper at burger king without messing up the sentence structure. (don’t worry if you are in burley they will know exactly what you mean. )
I know have I told you this before but I would just like to say again “thank you for your example” There is nothing better for my boys, and my daughter, than your example right now. I wish that every young child in the church had the example of an aunt, uncle, cousin, or grandparent out on a mission. I know that I remember the example of uncle Dean and Uncle Alan and aunt Debbie and when Grandma and Grandpa Wall served their missions it was a strength and a testimony to me of the truthfulness of the gospel in so many different ways. I pray that your example to my children will strengthen them, and plant in them a desire to serve our Father in Heaven when they are old enough to do so.
And I want to thank you for giving me a really good excuse to take an hour out of my week and record the doings of my family. The letters I have written you are the closest thing I am getting to Keeping a journal in this busy time of my life. It has been a true blessing for me and has developed my typing talent and my ability to story tell in a way that I did not know I could. It has helped me see the messes and the meltdowns and the moments that I just wanted to give in and cy as great stories for someone else to read and enjoy. I really hope that you have enjoyed my ramblings, I know that I have enjoyed rambling to you.
Now let me tell you a about a sweet moment at grandma’s funeral, one I don’t want to forget, For the funeral all of the men in the family right on down to Mason and Wyatt were given a red flower to wear on their shirt. And all of the grandsons were honorary pall bearers. Marcus felt the weight of the flower quite profoundly and messed with it for almost the entire duration of the funeral service. Then as we were getting out of the van at the cemetery for the graveside service Marcus began to panic because somehow his coat had unpinned the flower from his shirt and the flower was not where it should be. After a moment of searching the flower fell out of the bottom of his coat and we repined it to his shirt. At this point Marcus said “Mom, I want to give this Flower to grandma.” I told him that if he want to he would be able to. Thinking that when most of the people had left the grave side I would let him put it on grandma’s coffin. Well after the prayer they invited all of the pall bearers and honorary pall bearers to add their flowers to the bouquet on top of grandma’s coffin. Marcus was about the first person after our uncles to give grandma his flower. He was very glad that he could give great grandma a flower and when we got back to the van he offered me his condolences and said “Mom, I am very sorry that your grandma died.” He is a very sensitive kid and I am so glad Heavenly Father entrusted me with him. I just hope that Jon and I don’t screw him up to bad.
Grandma’s funeral was great. You were the only grandchild not in attendance. But there were a “bazillion” great grand children present and they kept a good steady hum going the whole time. I realized that Jon and I are the only ones who have 6 children. There are several with 5 but No one else is in the 6 club with Jon and I. Jason said that we had won “the rabbit award” for having the most kids. I argue that Tyrell and Rose should win the award with 5 kids in 4 years! The Woodland Family has followed the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth and Grandpa will get his wish of having posterity to number the sands of a small white sand beach on the leeward side of a tropical island in the pacific.
Work Hard. The time is very short. The homecoming party is being planned and since you are going to Florida over Valentines day I have yet to set you up on a date. But I am looking at some options for you. HEEHEE. Love Monica.