Life Moves On

Today I have a funeral hangover......no headache yesterday but today the headache and body ache are overwhelming.

The day for the most part was bittersweet....good byes to Grandma were not fun.....but the memories are fantastic.

A couple of the best memories I will always have of the day are the thick feeling of family love. One of the Uncles said that this is what the day felt like, a day of love.

Another memory will always be my opportunity to lead the congregational singing. I was fine with the idea until i got up to do it and looked down at all the 'boobs' in the family crying....I looked at Gary and he was tearing up, so next at Megan who was even worse, mom was really bad as was everyone else. We were singing one Grandmas favorites "Because I Have Been Given Much" pg. 219. Since the introduction was coming to a close i knew i had to pull it together fast....I looked up and saw a beautifully smiling face in the audience....sitting there smiling at me was Grandmas friend Marjean Toone. Her smile kept me focused and in control for the whole song and for the closing song, "Love One Another" pg. 308. Later I told Marjean thank you for being the smiling face in the audience that I could connect with. She told me that she looked up at me and knew that it was going to be hard so she put a smile on her face and hoped that I would look at her.

She then told me a sweet story about taking Grandma to work at the temple for the first time. Grandma didn't want to be separated from her friend. She was nervous and told Marjean the whole way into Salt Lake that she wanted her locker to be near hers. Marjean told her that there were no empty lockers near hers, but all would be okay. Grandma kept saying that she was going to get things changed and that if they didn't she wasn't going to stay. Marjean says that she went to the locker room to change and waited and waited but no Grandma. She went to prayer meeting and looked around but no Grandma. She thought 'well she went home.' Just then Grandma came into the room all dressed and smiling. Marjean asked her if she got things all taken care of with the changing of the lockers. Grandma told her I couldn't change lockers, I was assigned locker 219....

For family home evening we went to Paces for a flatty with J & L, Mom, Adam and his family. It was a nice way to end our day laughing and talking about Grandma a life.

I am so thankful for belonging to a wonderful legacy of love and faith.

My goal with the coming birth of our first grand baby is to be a grandma like my Grandma Butters.

MCC

Grandma Butters

Grandandma Butters passed away yesterday.......it was a bittersweet day for all.

Grandma Butters you will be missed.

Granny B was one of the great ones. This noble lady exhibited grace, wit and wisdom to the end. Her example of a valiant lady, who endured gracefully through her mortal life is one I want to emulate.

I know that she loved me, all of the family, Grandpa Butters and the gospel.

She showed that love by word and deed.

Grandma would have been 94 years old on Friday November 13....she had a long liver.....

She was born in Morgan Utah in 1915 to George Sylvester and Elsie Clawson.
She would speak of her life in Morgan with a light in her eyes, remembering the fun with family and friends at Como Springs, being the Drum Majorette for the Marching Band with Grandpa Butters as the Drum Major. recently she told me that she was Queen of the May....the most popular girl in school. A couple of years ago she told my boys a racy story about being a true red head, which was probably not true but fun none the less.......of course when I told Hayden about her being the Queen of the May, the most popular girl in school he said of course she was, she let those trumpet players know that she was a real red head......oh grandma is all I thought.

On October 23, 1933 she married N. Grant Butters her high school sweetheart. They lived in Green River Wyoming and eventually moved to Bountiful Utah where they raised their family and she lived until her death.

To me Grandma was the most beautiful lady there was inside and out. She was known for her flaming red hair, her flawless alabaster skin, and her razor sharp wit. The stories of her and her doings are legendary. She was not only quick with a witty comment, but quick to help and serve those around her.

Grandma served as a ward choir director for at least 40 years... she told me that when she was called she took a course on choir directing from a famous man in Salt Lake. She was an awesome chior director and musician. Her ward choirs were standing room only, everyone wanted to be directed and loved on by Eulala. Her love for music and singing didn't stop with the ward she was also a part of the Sweet Adalines and a nationaly famous, award winning Quartet "the Classics". I remember those 4 beautiful red heads singing harmonies at my home being choreographed by my mom. I loved to hear them sing. When I was 17 year old Grandma and Grandpa took Melinda, Krystin and Myself on a road trip to Northern California to see our cousin Cindy. On that trip Grandma and Grandpa thought it would easy to teach the three of us some simple harmonies ....."we will meet but we will miss him"....boy were they wrong. Melinda was the only one of us who got it, Krystin and myself were complete disasters. Several years later she encouraged my Mom Sheri and us girls. Melinda, Elizabeth, Angela, Adam's wife Christine and myself to form a singing group....and the Cole Collection was born. For several years we all sang together mostly at Christmas time. When Grandma joined with us to sing for a few years it was so much fun. she would tells us stories of her days singing with the quartet. One of my greatest joys sing happened when not only grandma was singing with us but my daughter Megan joined us as well, 4 generations singing together. I could go on and on with wonderful stories of my grandma.

Things that will always bring Grandma to mind are: Almonds, Sweet Aloha-diet pepsi/coke, Strawberries, Twizzlers licorice red & chocolate, Humbugs, roses, Choirs, Sunday Roast, Rolls, Bring and Brag dinners, Crossword puzzles, Creative game playing or cheating, Flocked Golden Christmas Tree, Rose Christmas Tree, Estee Lauder make-up, Red hair, Eating Hot Dogs in the old ZCMI basement, Grocery shopping, Swimming Pool, Contents of her Purse, turquoise paint on the flagstone patio..........

For 20 years I have had the honor of doing grandmas nails every two to three weeks. As I held her hands I learned about her, her past, her present and her hopes for the future. I was privileged at these times to listen to her wisdom and advice on marriage, motherhood, the church, the gospel, family, etc.... She would tell me of her sorrows and her joys. The best part was when she would tell me how proud she was of us, her family.

This is how I will always remember and think of my Grandma & Grandpa Butters.

For years Grandma and Grandpa were Dance Directors for the Church. They served on the General Board and that is where they met the couples that became the Bring and Brag group. Grandma always told me that Grandpa was the best dancer ever and all the girls in High School were jealous of her for getting to dance with Grant.

........I like to think of them now dancing together forever through eternity.

I love you Grandma and will miss you. I know that you are now happy to be reunited with Grandpa. That your old mortal body that was giving you pain is now gone, that your spirit is now perfect and free to truly be you.

May I always honor your memory by being a little bit like you in all that I do.

MCC

Suddenly it's Spring! Friday Thoughts & Things

So I am my dads daughter....yesterday I killed my self in the yard getting things ready for the garden etc......I was so achy when I went to bed I thought this morning would be hard....it wasn't so. I will have to work a little harder.

I had to stop working when I pulled a hip muscle...I know, I didn't know I could pull that muscle either.....I had to stop anyway because I had filled the yard waste can, and even packed it into the can, and I had made several more large piles of stuff that still needs to be disposed of. I still have tons to do! When Hayden saw what I was doing he just laughed then said "I'm sure glad I wasn't home to help." He did however have to help me clean my tools up.....and will have to help on Saturday....I think I will be extra hard on him because of his comment.

I am glad my family said that I am like my dad in the working hard area......My dad is and always has been a hard worker....doing the job the right way and not stopping until it is done. I hope that I have passed this same work ethic on to my children.

This is Megan as Mrs. Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie at RMT. She is wonderful! Saturday is her closing night. Megan has a great talent for musical theatre. She is studying it at school and is teaching musical theatre classes at a local arts school. I love to hear her sing and hope that she will continue to perform when ever she gets a chance.


My baby is getting ready to take his driving permit test. I'm not worried that he will be driving. Hayden will probably be an excellent driver. He also got his High School registration packet in the mail today... :. ( I'm just sad that he is so grown up....where does the time go? I remember having 'little kids' running around not having a life, being so tired, wanting naps and bedtime to come quicker and thinking I can't wait until they are grown up...well they are all grown up. I love them as adults, it is fun to hang out with them and here their grown up thoughts and ideas and watch them take the lead in their lives, but I sure miss the 'little kid' stage.........okay I guess I only miss the good parts, you can keep the crappy parts, and by crappy I mean the the crap.

My sweet Granny B had a fall a split her head last night. It is tough getting old. She is such a good fun person. I want to be like her when I grow up too. I feel it a great honor when I have someone tell me that I remind them of her.


Off on a fab weekend!
MCC