This picture was taken on December 29th 2015 @ Spring Valley Hospital in Las Vegas NV. Mom ended up in the hospital before Emilee and Josh's wedding. We were all disappointed that she didn't get to be at the wedding. Jared is visiting with his Grandma in this picture. Mom loves to visit with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mom is the best grandma in the entire world!!!!
Today is Thursday January 28, 2016. My oldest son, Eric Keele was born 30 years ago today. We celebrated Eric's birthday by eating dinner at Chubby's Restaurant in Pleasant Grove, UT.
Yesterday on Wednesday January 27, 2016 I went with my mom and dad to the cemetery office in Pleasant Grove. We picked out and purchased their plots where they will be buried. As strange as it may sound, it was a very calm and peaceful time. Perhaps it's all part of helping me deal with the fact that death is actually a part of life. It's the doorway back into Heaven where we all began. Birth is the passageway here to earth life. Death takes us home to our Father in Heaven who created us and loves us more than we can comprehend. Why do we fight so hard to keep our loved ones here on earth with us? We know where they are going is so beautiful and peaceful and wonderful. Even better, their spirits are alive and very well. It's their physical bodies that are laid to rest to wait for the day of Resurrection. That day will come for all of us. We have been promised.
I am so grateful for the foundation that my parents gave me. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance. Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. The gift of the Holy Ghost. We have no need to fear! We walk by faith.
In January of 2015 Anthony, Jessica and I decided to take a leap of faith and come back to Utah to be close to my mother who is very ill. We had almost lost her two times in the year 2014. We knew we wanted to be close to her and other family. This picture was taken on the journey back to Utah first week of February 2015.
On February 19, 2015 Anthony was bitten in the face by a dog. He had general surgery to repair his nose and lip. He had just been hired to begin his new job when Anthony had an allergic reaction to his post surgery medications. This set up a chain reaction in his body. Anthony also suffered with a very intense illness called C.Diff. This illness returned two more times before he finally kicked it!
"Aaron Anthony Keele was born March 26th 2015 at 10:55 pm in Annapolis, Maryland. Weighed in at 9 lbs even and 20 inches long. We worked very hard and long for him to get here. Adree and Aaron are doing great. Jared is doing great too." - Post by Jared Keele on Face Book.
In April we were honored by a visit from our good friend, Brenda Krallis from Raleigh North Carolina. She and her husband Bob were our home teachers in Raleigh 2nd Ward. We call this SERIOUS dedication to home teaching!
By the month of March we had moved our motor home to the back yard of Elise and Aziz's rental home in Pleasant Grove, Utah. Anthony and I had our jobs secured and Jessica was enrolled as a Sophomore in Pleasant Grove High School. We began the house hunting.
Emilee and Josh got engaged on April 1st. (No fooling!) We enjoyed many family outings. This picture was taken at the park in Pleasant Grove as we celebrated Anthony's birthday April 11th with a BBQ and some old fashioned Kick Ball.
On April 20th Anthony and I celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary. Sorry no pictures. Anthony and I were given a wonderful gift by all six of our kids to go to Anniversary Inn for the weekend. We also were showered with spending cash and a gift card to eat at the fancy restaurant.
Charles Anthony Keele turned 1 year old on May 11, 2015.
For Memorial Day we had a camping trip in Goshen Canyon. Horse shoes, hiking, baseball, great food around the camp fire! This picture is of Miss Mabel and grandma on a hike!
For Aziz Ahmed's birthday in June, we went to a Bees Game. Mabel was not so sure about the Bee!
We bought a home and moved in during the month of June.
In July Jared, Adree and Aaron came out to Utah to visit us! Aaron Anthony Keele was blessed in Walsburg, UT. July 12, 2015. This picture is of the 5 Keele men! Anthony Keele, father. Eric Keele holding his son Charles Anthony Keele on the right. Jared Keele holding his son, Aaron Anthony Keele on the left.
In August I started a new job as receptionist for Alpine Animal Hospital. Love my job!
September and October were spent taking care of mom as she was in and out of the hospital again. And Dad had his cataracts removed.
I turned 50 years old on November 4th. We had dinner at The Smoking Apple Restaruant in Pleasant Grove. Elise bought me this cake from Kneaders.
Emilee was endowed at the Payson Temple in November.
Here are Elise Ahmed, Grandma Billington, Sundy Anderson and Tenille Holyoak (just a few who attended the bridal shower for Emilee.
We had a bridal shower for Miss Emilee the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Amberly Scnurr did a great job with the planning and decorations and games!
Love this picture of Emilee and Grandma Billington at the bridal shower!
Jenn and Lily Peterson came for a visit in early December.
Lily found a small patch of real snow. She lives in Florida, so she only sees fake snope!
We visited Granma and Grandpa Billington at their Treeo apartment.
L to R Harvey Billington, Jennifer Peterson, Patricia Billington, Lily Peterson and Emilee Keele.
We had our Billington Family Christmas Party on Dec. 19, 2015. We got a cookbook with all of Mom's favorite recipes.
Santa came to visit us. Here he is with Charlie and Mabel.
On Christmas Day we woke up to a foot of snow. We shoveled ourselves out. Had breakfast with Eric Keele's family and then traveled in the motor home to St. George Utah were we met up with Adree, Jared and Aaron Keele.
We worked on a song for Josh and Emilee to do as a flash mob at their wedding luncheon. This is one of our practice sessions.
Josh and Emilee were married on Dec. 29, 2015 in the Las Vegas LDS Temple.
It's not a surprise to most of my friends and family to learn that Anthony, Jessica and I relocated back to Utah last year (2015) My mom and I have always been close. I looked up to her in my childhood, through most of my teenage years and especially as I got married and became a mother. My mom was/is my role model. She is kind, funny, loving, beautiful and talented.
We just arranged to have mom on hospice care. I've got such mixed emotions. I know the time for her to pass is drawing nearer each day. The longer she is allowed to linger, the harder it is for me to let go. I know she will not be far. I know where she is going is beautiful. I know we are an eternal family. I know we will all be together again. I know Heavenly Father loves us all. This is just part of God's plan. No... this ain't goodbye!
Thursday, January 14, 2016
Today I was driving home from my walking at the Rec Center when the song came on the radio: "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. It was Graham thanking me for doing his ordinance work at the temple. This is the song that plays whenever I know he is around. I felt his peace and contentment as I listened to the song. The words of the song echo softly in my mind....."In your eyes I am complete".... and light snow flakes started to fall around me. Beautiful!
On Tuesday January 12, 2016 Anthony and I took his name to the Mount Timpanogos Utah LDS Temple and completed Graham Thirsk's ordinance work.
Graham was a friend and co worker to Anthony in Raleigh, North Carolina. We had spent many hours together in our homes. We shared a love of music. Sometimes we would all just sit and listen to Graham's collection and sometimes our family would sing for him. Graham tragically ended his own life on August 5, 2014.
