Today our hearts and prayers are with my cousins. My Aunt Kay passed away peacefully this morning. She was one of the kindest, warmest, most guileless people I have ever known. She also had an unforgettable, joyful smile. She was a wonderful mother, and as a testament to that fact, my cousins are amazing people.
One of my favorite memories of Aunt Kay was when she and I drove from East Lansing back to Evanston. Forty minutes into the drive we realized we had forgotten something and had to turn around and go back to East Lansing. Then we got quite lost on the way. It was summer, and we stopped at various small Michigan towns along the way and walked my puppy, Lulu, in the middle of the night. Aunt Kay was cheerful and unconcerned about our plight the entire trip. Her happy attitude made me feel relaxed and less terrified when I found myself out in the middle of pitch-black-nowhere driving in who-knows-what direction. I don’t remember the names of any of the towns that we made stops in, but I remember how warm the night was and how cheerful we felt even though we were lost.
I also remember packing for that trip. I realized right before the trip that we needed bungee cords for something, and guess what! My Aunt Kay had spare bungee cords in her purse! She was one of those people that had everything in her purse, and it was very funny to see her pull out her spare bungee cords when I started fretting that I had forgotten to buy some beforehand.
I will also always remember how touched I was when I referred my Aunt Kay to the missionaries while I was on my mission. She agreed to meet with the missionaries just because, (she told me after) she loved me. I have rarely in my entire life felt so touched.
She was also an amazing gardener. I am sure God has a special garden plot just waiting for her loving touch.
Even though I have not been the best at keeping in regular touch with my cousins over the years, they are some of my favorite people on the planet. I mourn their loss and have been praying for them all day. I know how hard this day must be for them.
The only picture I have from today is from our trip to the Orem library. My friend Jan is in town. She and George are babysitting Chelsea and Derek’s kids for a week. I told her they deserve to win a Grandparents of the Year award.
