Desperately Behind...

I know what you're thinking. Here it was only two short months ago and Jenn was promising to make amends and keep us up to date on the Blog front. Boy, did that promise come and go quickly.

I do realize that I've missed the whole month of March and I'm woefully behind on the blogging scene. It's comforting to know that so many people must check out my blog, because I'm forever being reminded by individuals that I need to write.

You'd think after such a long break I'd write something cheerful and lighthearted, but what brings me back to blogging today is need to speak of a dearly loved cousin.

Those of you who know my family well have probably already heard that we lost Tiffany Heatwole to a car crash on Saturday evening. As I sit here at my computer the funeral for Tiffany is ongoing back in Virginia. From out here in Utah I wanted to share my own memories of her and the beautiful young lady she was.

I can't remember much of Tiffany's birth or those first times I saw her as a baby. The very first distinct memory I have of Tiffany is when she was (maybe) a year or so old. My Aunt Barbie (Tiff's Mom) was taking me, my sister Lora and Tiffany out and about. We stopped somewhere and Barbie was allowing me and Lora to get Tiffany out of her car seat. Somehow me and my younger sister managed to get over eager about closing the car door before we had exactly cleared Tiffany from the car and we clipped her on the head good with the car door. I remember when Tiffany started crying her heart out mine about stopped. As Barbie stood there in the parking lot holding Tiffany and comforting her (she was okay and eventually stopped crying) I stood there thinking how sorry I was for hurting my angel cousin.

See as a young girl, I remember thinking how Tiffany must be the closest thing to a baby angel I'd ever seen. You see, it was the blond hair. In our family everyone had brown to dark hair (well my sister and brother did have lighter hair as young kids). Tiff's hair was the lightest I had ever seen and she had those cute baby curls. She looked just like those pictures you always see of the little angels. And as a young girl I knew that God had given us our own little angel, and I was especially happy that it was my Aunt Barbie that had the angel.

When I start to think back on Tiffany as she grew older I have so many good memories. It's hard to sum them all up, or just pick a few of my favorites. I'll just say that the little girl I'll remember is one that was always bounding in energy. I'm laughing to myself even now as I write this, the thought that comes to mind is, "that girl could wear a body out." She always seemed to have twice the energy I ever had.

Even though I've been away from home more in these last few years, I still saw Tiffany as that same energetic girl (but now in teenage form). The woman Tiffany became was someone who used her energetic nature to love those around her with enthusiasm.

In the last few days one thought in particular keeps coming to mind. I've been thinking of my Granddaddy Heatwole who passed away seven years ago on the sixteenth of this month. I remember how we all grieved his passing away so suddenly (died of a heart attack). I also remember talking then with a much younger Tiffany about how she loved her Granddaddy.

If ever I knew something it would be this, that even now as they lay the body of my cousin in the earth, she's with Jesus and Granddaddy in Heaven. She's happy and surrounded by love.

Even now as I wrap up my memories I'd like to thank you all for your prayers and well wishes for the family. I know from being on the phone with my family during this time they've felt the comfort of your friendship. Speaking for myself out here in Utah, I've felt the long arm of that friendship.