Tender Heart

I've been dwelling too much on this post and how much I don't want to write it, don't have the words to write it, and that maybe by writing it out makes it more real. But, I need to document it for my journal. 

When I was in Young Women's, we had the opportunity to have the absolute most amazing leader anyone could ever ask for. Patty Jones. While I didn't get to know her as well as some of the other girls, you couldn't help but love her! She is the most Christlike person I've ever met in my life. She always made sure you knew you were loved.

A few years ago, Jenny decided that we should get together every year and have a Young Women reunion. This was the first year. It was so great to see the people who showed up.

Patty went through way more in her lifetime than any person should ever have to. In 2008 she lost her daughter Carri to cancer. Her other daughter Kali also fought through a brain tumor.


Patty herself had to go through cancer twice. The first was in her throat and the second was an inflammatory breast cancer. It spread to her bones and we all knew her time was limited.


In May, Jamie had a dream that she needed to have one big life celebration party for Patty before it was too late. Patty needed to know how many lives she has touched. (Which is a lot!! She was a P.A. for Dr. Mortensen and she loved and cared for each and every one of her patients)


Jamie had people send in letters, photos and notes of love for Patty. It was compiled into a book and presented to her that night. There were thousands of letters and notes in that book. It was amazing!

Patty with some of her "girls" and the women she served in Young Women's with

I hope she's laughing like this right now!

Some how, they arranged to have Michael McLean surprise her and play a few songs for her! 

I love this Jones family!!
 

The day after her life celebration party, KSL did a small feature about her on Mothers Day on the Mormon times. I'm so grateful that she was honored like that. Seriously, she was incredible.

 (If you want to watch the feature, you can find it here!)


Even though we all knew that time was running short, it was still much harder than I anticipated to hear the news of her passing.

Yesterday was her viewing and funeral. It was something that I didn't want to face, but knew I had to do it or I'd regret it. As I went to see her and talk to her family, I did okay at first. When I saw her, she was still so beautiful, but it just didn't feel right. It was her body, but she wasn't there. Her body just wasn't strong enough to hold such an amazing spirit.

Our Young Women group and the leaders were asking to sing a song at her funeral.

I don't sing.

I was touched that we would be able to do this one last thing for Patty, but I was so nervous at the same time. I didn't know how I was supposed to stand up in front of all those people and sing to Patty and her family.

After we started, I was shocked to hear voices singing, because I just stood there with tears in my eyes not able to sing a word for at least one verse ... and parts of the other two. It wasn't until later that night, when Jenny brought it to my attention, that that song wasn't our last gift to Patty ... it was her last gift to us. When she said that, I knew it was true. She was still showing us how much she loved us, even from Heaven.

This was our last tribute to her, and her final gift to us.

 

When the funeral was over, she had one last ride she needed to make. 

It couldn't have fit her any better. One last ride for Patty. 

I love you Patty. Forever and always. Thank you for always showing me how much you cared.

I am so grateful to know that this isn't the end. I will see her again one day. Until then, I know she's just continuing to bless those around her in every way she can!