HaPPY Heavenly BIrthday Dad

 Today is dad's birthday and our FIRST one without him!!
I still can't believe that my dad is gone!! My heart hurts so much!
My family is planning a birthday celebration at the gravesite, but Trevor is playing football in Payson so we will be missing it. Sydnee and I stopped by and picked up Red balloons to celebrate!!
I wanted to put up a sign and balloons and just talk to my dad!
I picked up a Big Mac also and Sydnee and I ate it in behalf of dad!!
I love you dad and wish you were here to celebrate with us, but I know you are
celebrating and singing for everyone in Heaven!

These were taken by Cambria, she represented our family, since we were up north for football.

These were from her blog

They all wrote notes to my dad on the balloons and released them!

My cute mom brought cupcakes for everyone!

Such a Heartbreaking Sight

I took my mom up north with me to watch Trevor play against Copper Hills High School.

On our way home we stopped by the gravesite to see dad.

I was getting something in the car and looked to see my mom.

My heart just BROKE watching her stand there Alone!

It's hard to see my mom by herself, my heart just aches for her.

Thank goodness for the gospel and our knowledge of the Plan!!!

PICTURES of our Dad

 
My Dad at 17 years old in high school-1967

My dad was always into these "DADDY/DAUGHTER DATES"

Cambria's BLOG post - Celebration of Grandpa's Life

Yesterday was my Grandpa Ah Quin's funeral and it was absolutely beautiful.

I miss him so much and I have moments of strength and joy for him and other of tears and sadness but I know without a doubt that he is where he needs to be and that he is happy and out of pain with family and friends that love him.
Part of the reason I know this is because I have faith and the other is because the night he died we found lots of special notes in his planner/journal that were meant for us at that moment. One of those being this quote that my Grandpa wrote from a funeral that he went to. I took a picture of it so here it is in his beautiful hand writing...

 This beautiful note brings a lot of comfort, especially as we had his funeral this weekend.

We had a viewing Friday afternoon followed by a family home evening and dinner at Golden Coral, one of my grandpa's favorites.

Then Saturday we have another viewing from 9:00 to 10:30 then the funeral started at 11. After the funeral we went to the cemetery for the burial then we had a special celebration, a concert for my Grandpa where we showed videos of him singing his songs and we had dance numbers and slideshows while we ate delicious food.

It was a special day celebrating my Grandpa's life and his graduation from this mortal life.

I am SOOO grateful for the righteous example my Grandpa was and is to me and I am proud to call him my Grandpa.

I love you eternally Grandpa.

Here are some special moments I captured from yesterday.

 The day couldn't have been any more perfect. It was the type of day my Grandpa loved, bright and sunny!

 We all had a chance to say our final goodbye and place our leis on his casket.

My grandma was unbelievably STRONG through the whole day.

She has such a strong testimony of the PLAN and she knows where my grandpa is.

She was surrounded by so much LOVE from her children, grandchildren and siblings that came from everywhere to celebrate my grandpa's life with us.

 My grandma is so amazing and has been so strong through it all. Please keep her and all my family in your prayers.

 My grandpa was buried right next to my cousin Tierra, who passed away 6 days after her birth.

 Eternal love that lasts forever.

 Families are FOREVER!!!
It couldn't have been a more beautiful day and celebration, really! I know he was there and that he loved it!
I love you Grandpa and I am so proud to call you my Grandpa.
Much love and aloha, until we meet again!

SPECIAL KISSES

“The mouth is made for communication, and nothing is more articulate than a kiss.”

 “Close your eyes and I'll kiss you, Tomorrow I'll miss you.”

My mom and dad have ALWAYS loved kissing!!!
They would kiss in front of us kids ALL OF THE TIME!!
We loved to see the affection between the two of them and proof of how 
much they loved each other.

My dad even though he wasn't awake he still demanded kisses from my mom.

 When he would hear her voice from the other room, he would automatically close his lips and that was an indication to us that he wanted kisses from her.

So we would yell for her, "Mom, dad is closing his mouth, he wants kisses."

 She would come running over and kiss his lips so tenderly.

We could see that he was still enjoying those kisses!!!

These pictures are sooo tender and loving of two people who have been through sooooo much in their 45 years together. But have endured so much in the last 2 1/2 years together.

I love my parents so much!!!

These are pictures from the hospital and some of their shared kisses. This was the day before we took dad home and was put in hospice. They love each other so much and it shows!!

Dad's Life Celebration

 The beautiful display tables were put together by Julee.

She did such a beautiful job, everyone enjoyed looking at everything.

We had dad's music playing in the foyer where his stuff was displayed.

 She also had a table where all of his marathon memorabilia was.

 When they got to the viewing room, they were greeted by the grandkids with truffles.

 This sweet lady, Carol Reid, she did all of the flower sprays & arrangements and boutinere's and flowers for the girls hair. She did such a beautiful job.

 Cambria and Jeff were still working on grandpa's videos for his concert.

They wanted them to be perfect!!

 Lisia and Ammon were at the exit door as they left to the chapel for the services.

 We were so lucky to have so many family members in attendance.

These handsome men were:

Sterling, Jasen, Stephen & Uncle Arthur

 My dad's best friend, Uncle Jr. and his sister, Aunty Almira

came from Hawaii to be with our family.

 These cute grandkids of dad's were so good staying seated in the viewing room.

Major, Keawe, Janessa.

 Uncle David, my mom's uncle and his wife Aunty Carolyn came from Hawaii as well.

 Kelly McQueen, Irene's childhood friend, came from California as well.

 Sunshine, Sydnee, Tayvia and Raya

 My mom received so many hugs that day and so many wonderful words of kindness and memories of my dad. The line was so long that the mortician came and asked us not to hug anymore and stand and talk, he was going down the line and telling the people to just go by and wish her well and don't stop. We were already running late and the meeting was going to be long as well.

 Aunty Almira saying goodbye to her big brother.

 Bryan's two brothers came from Arizona for the Celebration.

They loved my dad and remembered him from Scouts and their campouts.

 All of the family after the doors closed for us to close the casket.

 So many family members from ALL over, California, Northern Utah, Hawaii, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Mexico, Samoa, etc.

 All 7 of us with our mom saying our good byes and watching mom say goodbye.

My heck, that was the hardest thing to do, to know that I won't see my dad on this earth again after we close this casket. Thank goodness for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge that we have.

Now it's UP TO US to do our part, so we can be reunited with him again.

 After we closed the casket we turned around and sang, "Families can be Together Forever"

 Yes, By the way, we color coordinated everyone in the family to wear, Red-white-black.

 Our last picture with our dad here on earth!

 Walking into the chapel for our celebration of dad's life.

We had a beautiful Celebration.

 Max and Trevor leading the Pall Bearers.

 All of the Pall Bearers:

(LtoR: Joe, Clay, Hannemann, Jaden, Trevor, Andy, Bryan, Max, Adam)

 My mom and Aunty Almira in the Limo on the way up to the Cemetary.

Me, Irene and Tia went in the Limo as well.

 On the way up to the cemetery, we stopped by the house for my dad.

 The precession line was so long.

 My mom kissing my dad's program, she was so amazingly strong through out this last week.

She definitely has NO DOUBT about the Plan and knows that she WILL see him again.

 She is so cute. Cambria did a quick little photoshoot with her with these pictures.

 Our whole family!!!

FAMILIES ARE FOREVER

 We love you dad!!!

Tierra's right next to Dad