The Long Goodbye

It is the beginning. Of the long Goodbye.


Josh died early this morning. Cancer. What an ugly, ugly word. Death does not care if you are young or old. Eventually it will visit us all. Cancer doesn't care if you 5 or 35. Neither care that you have four little children at home, a wife who adores you, and a network of friends and family who love you.

Josh and Sam have been best friends since they were 12 years old. They grew-up, went to high-school, served missions, laughed, fished, hunted and played together. They found love, got married...had families, together. As long as I have known Sam, I have known Josh. Some of my fondest memories include him. Some funny, some not so funny...

I am so grateful to know that God has a plan. An eternal plan of happiness. I am so grateful to know God can see the whole. I only see a part, and right now it hurts. I long for the day that my understanding will open and the whole will unfold before my eyes and the pain will dissolve into knowledge.

To the Great Plan of Happiness
For Josh, Zelma, and the kids
For Sam, and all those hurting...

Goodbyes don't last forever
Families do.

Fresh Air [Sam Style]

Who knew?

Who knew that you could have the flu in the last days of May?Well, I didn't!!! And I am sicker than sick. For the last four days, all I have wanted to do is sleep. I haven't gotten to. My sense of smell is heightened, trying to ride or drive in a car is a joke, and
Sam's version of let's make Amy feel better is "fresh air"...

Sam decided that I just needed some fresh air. So he rounded up our friends, and our horses, and headed up the canyon. Now, I haven't been on a horse in right around 12 years. I haven't had the intention of getting on one for about 12 more! However, being sick I just don't havethe energy to fight. Off we go up the mountain with me on a green-broke horse. Luke. Whom I love dearly, but he is only a colt. In horse sense I
suppose I am only a colt as well, so weren't we peas in a pod! We were doing ok until we came to a stream. I was last in the line of four, with Sam pulling Luke on a lead rope tied to his mule, Liz. Liz crossed just fine, Luke however determined he was going to find ANYWAY POSSIBLE across that stream without touching the water. Where we crossed it dipped down then went back up with the water in the bottom. It was surrounded by boulders, trees and dead-fall. In the very bottom was a small, but tall boulder. Luke jumped on top of it, with me screaming SAMMMM, needless to say, we looked like a circus act. Luke jumped from the top of the rock, I lurched forward and came right out of the saddle, tumbled across a few rocks and watched Luke step over me. I didn't like it much. I thought to my self, and people do this for fun? Why? Sam ran to help me up. I have a bruised rib, gashed elbow and my knees hurt pretty good. But, I smile and ask Sam what he would like me to do. I rode Liz the rest of the day. And we are all just fine. At least the adventure part was over within the first 5 minutes. LOL!!!

So besides being sick, I am saddle-sore, beat up and can barely breathe. Ah...
don't you just love fresh air?