I was laying in bed being a bit lazy, and was calling for the kids to wake up, time to get ready for school. I thought I heard the doorbell. It is very hard to hear it downstairs. I just ignored it, thinking Grampa would get it. But then it rang again. Our doorbell does not ring very often, especially early in the morning. I decided I better go and see who was here. As I opened the door, I saw the neighbor lady, Heidi, walking back to her car. And as soon as she opened her mouth, is when our day turned upside down. I dont't know why her words were a shock to me. It was bound to happen. She said "your dog got ran over". I was even more surprised to find that it was Boomer. He hardly chases cars. Heidi was headed to work and found him dead in the road and didn't want anyone else to re-run him over. He clearly was dead but it hadn't been very long. He luckily didn't have a ton of visible wounds. She kindly helped me move his heavy body off the road. As we were moving him, Aleena came out to see what was happening and I told her to go inside. She asked if he was dead and when I told her yes, she just started crying in histerics and ran into the house. Then Livee came out. I told her to go in. Boomer was heavy and it took us a good couple minutes to move him. By then I was crying, the neighbor lady was crying, and all the kids inside were crying. She left and I went inside. Jase went out and wrapped his arms around him for a bit to say goodbye. Emotions were running high. Aleena called Brad. He is in Wisconsin. Brad thought maybe something happened to one of us because he couldn't understand her, but finally got the message. Hallie woke up to Aleena's histeria thinking something happened to Brad. It took everyone a little bit to settle down. We went out and moved him to the wheel barrow, where he rested for the day until we could get him buried. Our other neighbor Dave Burch brought his digger over and dug a hole for us. Hallie headed to school, the others stayed home. We spent the morning looking at pictures, making a video and remembering all sorts of good things about him. Aleena and Livee headed back at lunch but Jase stayed the day home. He has taken it the hardest. I took him to town. He had a check to cash and I took him to lunch. We have had a lot of conversations about how we grieve and everyone grieves differently and how people sometimes deal with hard things by turning to drugs and other unhealthy ways and how that isn't the best choice. Conversations about what heaven is like, where is heaven at, that there is life after death where we will see him again, how we need to live our life the best we can because we don't know when our time is. How Heavenly Father prepares us for these things- Jase felt like he really had some special time with him yesterday, how our actions always affect those around us.
They seem a bit better tonight. The three youngest have all stayed in the same room as me most of the day, all within an arms length. It just breaks my heart that they are broken but am glad they felt like they could talk to me about how they were feeling. Jase fell asleep next to me in my bed. Not sure that has happened in a long while.
Here is to hoping for a brighter tomorrow.
Jase had an opportunity to go and work for Uncle Matt this last weekend re-roofing a house. Brad went too. And I couldn't be prouder of this boy. He worked his tail off for two solid days of hard labor. He would come home, shower and crash. It has already opened up his chances for future job opportunities.
Hallie attended her first School Dance. Jake Asked her and she answered with gummy snakes saying "yesssss". He is terrified of snakes. They spent the day at Jump time and laser tag and had a late lunch at Sizzler. The actual dance was up at the Justesen Barn and then they watched movies after. They both looked adorable, and had a funny 3rd wheel, Joel, tag along. My kids are just getting too big.
