In Loving Memory of Jordan Leigh Chavez December 10th 1980 - January 27th 2009

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Jordan Leigh Chavez was an Angel from Heavenly Father. She was born December 10th 1980 to a loving family who were told she would not live to make it home from the hospital because of the condition she was born with Spina Bifida. Her family took her home and prepared for the worst yet they did everything they could to extend her life as much as possible to give her the best experience here on earth that they could. After months of saying she would not live, the doctors began to realize that against all odds she was making it. Stronger everyday. They finally stopped predicting her death and with her family watched this amazing little girl thrive. Because of Jordans medical condition she had no feeling below her waist but this little lady didn't know the meaning of "Can't" and so she "DID". She did everything. She learned to snow ski, water ski, horseback ride, swim, and everything else that came to her she DID. She has one sister and four brothers that treated her as normally as anyone else. they teased her and wrestled with her and played with her and loved her. She grew up as any other child in spite of her condition. She danced at high school dances in her wheelchair. She demanded better seating at the high school football games and got it not just for her but for every other person in a wheelchair that has attended her high school since she was there. She served a mission at the Humanitarian center in Salt Lake City. She was an aunt to 19 nieces and nephews. She wore a constant smile for all who met her and loved life with vigor.

For our family the most amazing thing about Jordan was the way she loved our brother William. He is the youngest in our family and he has had his share of physical difficulties. He had a spinal injury as a baby that caused difficulty with eye hand coordination. Later he suffered some visual problems that eventually caused blindness. He served a full time mission in Atlanta Georgia and while there they discoverd the extent of his vision loss. Legally Blind. They found a tumor on his brain that had damaged his optical nerve. He came home to have the tumor removed and had a secondary surgery for the same thing a little later in the mission field. He completed his mission and when he returned he spent a great deal of time looking for work and trying to find his place in this world. He finally went to work at the Humanitarian center and served there the same time Jordan did. They served together and were both released within a day of each other. Then the romance began. Slow at first just friends but after a short time the love between them began to grow and the next thing we knew they were planning a wedding. They were sealed April 10th 2005 in the Salt Lake Temple. What a beautiful day it was. My brother found the place he was looking for, at the side of this wonderful woman who loved him unconditionally. They were more than head over heels for each other. Every breath they breathed was for each other. From that day on they have spent every moment of every day serving and caring for each other like no two people I have ever seen. Everyone who knew them always talked about how much in love they were. It was the most beautiful and pure love I have ever seen and I don't believe I will ever see such a love again in this lifetime.

Last Tuesday moring I recieved the call that the love of my brothers life, His every breath since the day they met, his very soulmate had passed away in her sleep. She was 28 years old. So young but 28 years older than the doctors said she would be. She lived a beautiful life. She brought joy to so many and inspiration to countless. She brought love to my brother and opened to him a life that at one time he felt sure he would never experience. She brought it to him with the vigor that defined her life and sparked his. Thank you Jordan for the joy and tenderness you showed to William. Thank you for the smile that only you could bring to his sweet pure face. Thank you for going before him to prepare the place for you to be together in the kingdom of our Heavenly Father. Thank you for being the bright and shining angel that God sent you to be. We love you so much and will miss you until we meet again.

Have to Plug a Friend

Hey everyone I have to refer you to my friends blog. "It's True" She is on my blog list. Her name is Stephanie Ashcraft and She is the author of a handful of cookbooks. 13, I think anyway she has put a few of her recipes on her blog and a whole list of tips for slow cookers. She has written "101 Things to do with a cake mix" "101 things to do with a slow cooker" "101 things to do with a potato" the list goes on.

She is a member of the church and is one of those people who have the spirit in a contagious way. She is so much fun and always has a smile. I just love her. I thought I would pass this on since I always learn so much from her and these latest tips and recipes are great to have. I hope you all enjoy her blog and find her as wonderful as I do.

Onto my latest. Ok so I started reading Emma by none other than Jane Austen. I know major classic and part of my goal for 2009 to read 12 English classics. I love to read but I just keep falling asleep with this one. I have not made it past the first 10 pages. I can't tell you what my problem is. So my January book will be changing to something else. I think it will be The Count of Monte Cristo. I have to get moving on it to reach my goal. My B of M goal is on target. I think that is because it is so important. Temple goal so far so good. Hike goal this needs major revival already. Exercise has always been a struggle for me and unfortunately with some of the wacky symptoms I have had the last several months I am at the mercy of whatever my body is doing and it is always doing something. I have had about a week of good days in a row and I am feeling so much better yet I know we still have to work things out with the Doctor. I have to have the endomitrial ablation done and I hope that will happen if February. I think if we get that problem under control I can learn to live with some of the other things.


So I have been stuck at home alot with all the above so I have reorganized my scrapbooking things and have been working on some new cards. I will post some pictures of them. It helps me get through he day and give me something to look forward to.

Our trip to Mancos

We spent the weekend in Colorado for the wedding of my niece Laura. It was so much fun! She and her new husband make custom bikes as a hobby/business and these are some of the bikes they made together as well as the theme for the wedding. It was so clever and fun. It was very much Lauras personality and Ephraims too I guess since I only just met him. They had karoake and dancing. Very laid back and simple. It was great. We also enjoyed catching up with family and goofing off around town. Mancos is so beautiful. Matt and I have always wanted to live there and hope someday to make that a reality. This trip just reconfirmed our desire to be here. I hope you enjoy the slide show. Love to all.

Just checking in

We just got back in from an evening of sledding. It has snowed alot the last two days so we took advantage of the fresh new snow. I wish I had pictures but I don't. It was actually fairly warm out there and so pretty. The roads have been more slushy than anything Of course those of you who live in Utah know all this. I write it for all the friends and family in places like Arizona who don't get to go sledding or driving around on slushy roads.
I know there are many people who could skip this kind of weather all together but I love it. I love the different seasons and of course by the end of winter I am ready for the next change but the diversity keeps it interesting for me and we love the sledding and playing in the snow as well as the swimming, camping and other outdoor activities that come with the different seasons.
We are getting ready to go to Colorado this weekend. My Niece is getting married. I am so excited to go. We have not seen this part of our family since our family reunion in 2007. It will be great to get caught up and see Laura become a married woman. I look bakc on when Matt and I were married and all these nieces and nephews were just little hooligans running around playing in the dirt and chasing each other like maniacs. Now I am a great aunt X5 with four of these little hooligans married and now this one. Time just goes so fast. I think I will blink and it will by my Son getting married, having kids and then the grandmother years(ohhhh) it all happens so quickly. There is a song that says Don't blink 100 years goes faster than you think. I will try to find it and get it on my playlist. There is definatley truth to it. WeLl i suppose that it all for now hopefully my next entry will have more fun stuff to read about and maybe even a few pictures.