Last Saturday got word that my Uncle Dick (Midvale, UT) passed away. He was 86 years old and is tied for first in the favorite uncle category. It was not unexpected as his health was in decline over the last year or so, but still hard even when you are as prepared as you can be.

Went to the Viewing on Monday and watched the Funeral via Zoom on Tuesday as I was in the hospital with my mom (80 years young) who was going through surgery on a hernia that was obstructing her stoma at the same time. Spent the better part of 10 hours with her in prep, waiting for the surgery, the surgery, and then post till she was taken up to her recovery room at the hospital. She will be there for 6 days and then will be moved to a care facility for 6 weeks of recovery. The surgery went great and she is recovering well.

NOTE: Want to interject a thank you to all of the Doctors and Nurses on the board. I will be forever grateful for those who work in these fields as they have on more than one occasion saved the life of a family member of mine.

Today, My third child Emily graduated from High School. It was a joyous occasion as she worked very hard to get her HS diploma and is now off to travel and have fun for a year before she decides on either School or a Mission.

I share all of this as several realizations/reminders hit me today. Life is indeed a journey that each of us embarks on. We each have our free agency to choose how we want to live that life we are given.

My Uncle was a great example of hard work, love and always finding humor in places that you would not think it would be. He gave me lots of great council and was a big reason for me getting the courage to ask my wife to marry me. His mortal journey is ended now and the next chapter has started for him.

My mother, who has been a pillar of all things in my life, is reaching the end of her journey in this life but told me the other day before her surgery "I am far from being done with you and all my family. You all still need me around." She is not wrong. She has imparted much wisdom and positivity in my life and was also a big reason for my wife and me being together.

My daughter. She has just started what will be the largest part of her Mortal journey. She has so many choices in front of her and I am so excited to see the path she blazes in her life.

I am on my own journey, but I am starting to see the raising of my kids in my home gradually coming to a close. My youngest is 11 so we still have a few years with him, but my older three are all moving on and starting their lives. I love to see it but did not realize how much I miss having each of them home under one roof. I used to joke that I could not wait for that day, but now I am having a change of tune in that regard.

Life is truly a journey that we each take, it is full of ups, downs, bumps, and walls. But it is an amazing thing to be on the earth today.

Stay great CB. Be sure to hug your loved ones. Visit the elderly in your families as you don't know when it will be the last time in this life to do so.