I Have Seen and Met Angels...

...wearing the disguise of ordinary people living ordinary lives. Tracy Chapman

This past week has been a hard week, filled with countless emotions and many tears as we muddled our way through the many events that need to take place after the death of a loved one.  

If it wasn't for the Angels who look like ordinary people, I'm not sure how we would have gotten through this week. 

At the grave site~notes to Grady, written by siblings and cousins, tied to balloons.

I have been amazed at the outpouring of love that my daughter and son-in-law, Candice and Andy, have received during this time of Grady's death.  Their church members and neighbors have been there to offer prayers, hugs, words of encouragement, comfort, food, flowers, house cleaning, cards and notes filled with words of love, and providing service during and after the funeral.  They truly know how to "mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort."  

(Mr. Cy, blowing "Kisses" to his baby brother)

I thank each of you for your words of love and encouragement to me and my family. I felt comforted and buoyed up as I read your comments, emails and cards.  I need that strength to not only heal my broken heart but to help Candice and Andy as we rally around them and their little family to help mend their broken hearts.

(Aly - blowing her kisses)

One regret Candice had was that they hadn't taken a family picture since Grady was born. My son, Dan, took care of that with his airbrush, paints, prayers, tears and countless hours to present them a family portrait that includes their sweet baby Grady.  

I am at peace knowing that Families are Forever!

Beginning To Heal

Grady Conway Badger

December 28, 2011 - March 16, 2012

On March 16, 2012 Grady returned quietly to the presence of his Heavenly Father. Grady entered mortality in Lehi, Utah on December 28, 2011 as the fifth child and second son of Andrew Dale Badger and Candice Langston Badger. He brought with him a gentle, happy disposition and his brief stay was filled with soft lullabies, tender kisses, and generous hugs. Grady's loving parents, siblings (Emily, Cyrus, Kelsey and Alyson) and extended family look forward to the time when they will, once again, be together sharing each others' adventures and happy embraces.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday March 21, 2011 at 1:00 pm in the Spring Creek 1st Ward building located at 1630 South Weeping Willow Way, Lehi, Utah.  A family viewing will be held before the services.

My dear friends, THANK YOU for all your kind, supportive words, comments, texts and phone calls during our time of grief.  We have experienced some of the darkest days and longest nights.  However, because of all your prayers in our behalf, we have felt the comfort of the Holy Ghost and our hearts are healing.

I love you!

(Simon Dewey - In His Constant Care)

Many of you have asked how to help.  My daughter, Camille, has a link to a paypal account where you can donate to help the family with funeral and burial expenses, if you feel so inclined.  You may go here to read about it.

When Will It Stop Hurting?

How can a strong, healthy baby be here one minute and gone the next?

How can I comfort the parents whose arms are empty?

How can we keep on living?

When will the tears stop flowing?

I know time will help heal but it hurts so much right now!

I understand the plan of salvation, but it's hard to even take a breath.

Farewell, our sweet, sweet, Grady.

The Ides of March ~ Anniversary Style

Today it has been 39 years since we said "I Do!"

Who are those naive, fresh faced people?

 

And who would have their bridesmaids dressed in gingham?

 

Thanks, Andy, for the best 39 years of my life! 

Love you forever!

Dressed In White

Couldn't resist posting pictures of these two handsome boys.

Grady was blessed the first Sunday in February. 

 You can tell that it wore him out.

Love the way his hands are folded on his stomach. 

Langston was blessed the first Sunday in March.

This picture was taken the night before to make sure his clothes would fit.  

I think he likes his new outfit!

Such sweet babies!

Cell Phone Saturday - Seriously?

 I went to a Sinclair gas station a few days ago.  I had never been to that gas station before but the price was 6 cents cheaper than the station across the street so I decided to save a dollar and fill up there. (A dollar saved is a dollar earned...or something like that)
I swiped my debit card but the pump didn't work.  So I canceled the transaction and tried again.  Still no luck.  I drove to another pump, swiped my card and pumped out the ridiculously expensive liquid.
I checked my bank statement online today. Guess what!  I was charged $1.00 for every swipe I made with my debit card!  Really? 



So much for saving a dollar!  I've never had this happen before.  Have you?

Hero Status

There are many kinds of heroes.

Some are Super Heroes!

Some are every day Heroes!

Have you heard of the category, "Grandmas who stay at our house after the baby is born" heroes?

In case you haven't, here is the Hero certificate.  And in case you can't tell by the picture, that's ME "sleeping" in the bed! (We all know how much one sleeps with a newborn in the same room)

Mr. Cy is in first grade.  His class had a writing assignment.  Cy wrote that his hero is:

"My Grandma" 

You are my hero because "You slept with my baby brother so he wonte be alone".  

Thanks Mr. Cy!  I hope I can live up to the hero status even when you're 13 years old! 

Cell Phone Saturday

President's Day dawned clear and beautiful after a snow storm.  

Hooray for days off from work!  

I went to the temple in the morning.

When I came home I noticed this ice sculpture standing tall and lacy on the block wall.

Just 50 feet from the ice sculpture is the promise of Spring. 

Happy Saturday!

Pre-Event Fun

Wednesday night I went to the Pre-Event Story@Home party. 

 I am stoked!  

This will be an awesome conference filled with presenters, classes, ideas, experiences and inspiration that will get my juices flowing to write/present/tell my own story.


I took my daughter, Jeanette, and we met Tauna at the Blue Lemon for dinner before the event started.  FYI, if I say, "Meet me for dinner...it's my treat!", be sure to bring your money.  You just may need it.! I'm still a little red-faced over that. (Word of advice, be sure you have your wallet BEFORE you leave home)


Here we are in one of the rooms at the beautiful Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg. I lifted this picture off the  Story@Home Facebook page.  Check out the Facebook page to see more pictures of the venue.  (If you look in the very back, you'll see Tauna and me.)

Here are some things you may be interested in knowing about the conference:

• Story@Home will feature iTell ( http://www.cherishbound.com/blog/storyathome/iTell/ ), a comfortable lounge with a professional videographer who will record your 15-minute story. They will have interview questions and topic ideas on hand if you'd like to tell your own story, or you can snag your conference buddy and interview her (and maybe even learn something new!). You can receive a disk of the session right then and there or receive an MP3 version after the conference. And it's free with your conference ticket! Check out the link above for more details.
• Though attendees choose a track when registering, we're encouraging them to hop off track as much as they'd like. If they see a workshop in another track they'd like to attend, they so totally can. We'd love to have everyone mixing it up a bit!
• The Lower Lights ( http://thelowerlights.com/ ) will be doing a pre-show Friday night before the big Story Slam. Awesome! From what they said about the Story Slam, it's like karaoke combined with improv combined with personal stories. Attendees can buy extra tickets for $7.00 if they'd like family and/or friends to attend the Story Slam competition with them that evening. For more info on the Family Story Slam, you can click here: https://www.cherishbound.com/blog/storyathome/family-story-slam/.
• They will be offering a Boxed Lunch Bonus on Saturday featuring two awesome people, Kim Orlandini and Lindsey Redfern. For $10 attendees can enjoy a delicious boxed lunch (and I'm 99% sure it will be catered by the Garden restaurant) and be inspired/amazed/uplifted by these beautiful women.  All you do is go to the registration page (http://www.cherishbound.com/blog/storyathome/register/) and choose the Boxed Lunch Bonus option from the drop-down menu. Then you follow the prompts to register and pay and you're done!
• FamilySearch has a seriously awesome quick video all about who they are and what they do. We caught site of it last night at the pre-event party. Right now you can only view it via Facebook here:  https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10100343494576089 . Check it out you'll be amazed.

If you haven't signed up for the conference yet, it's not too late.  You can go here and take care of that now.
Hope to see you there.  Maybe we can meet for dinner...my treat!  

Pure Works

My son, Jordan, is in this short video.  He's the one in the blue shirt and tie. 

He and his friends are hoping the Pure Works company will use the ads to promote the product.

Would YOU believe these three yay-hoos?