Pool Time

Going To The Chapel....

This past weekend we headed to Hot Springs for Wendy and Brian's wedding. Wendy is Landen's cousin. We love being around her and her two boys! It seems like no time has passed when we get the rare chance to hang out with them. We met Brian at Children's Hospital during Leightyn's home-going. They had just started dating and I remember telling WeWe "he's a keeper". Not only does Brian treat Wendy and the boys awesomely (is that a word?), he has a spot in his heart for Mylea.

Between Leightyn's visitation and funeral, Mylea fell in love with "boyfriend". That's her name for Brian. I remember him and Wendy coming back from the mall. They returned with a dress and matching hair bows for Mylea.....and a cookie! I'm not sure if it was the hair bow or the cookie that won her over?

I love watching Brian with the boys.....you would think they were his own. I also love seeing him with Mylea. When he is around, no one else exists. The weekend of the race, we were getting everything packed up and Brian had to stop and help Mylea play tee ball and then help her pick out some dress up clothes. Not to many guys out there that would drop everything for a little toot that it not theirs!

With all that said....I want Wendy to know that I don't think she could have picked a better man to be her husband or a dad to her kids!!!!

Back to the wedding......months ago Mylea was asked to be the flower girl. All we told her was that she would walk down the aisle in a pretty dress and drop/hold a basket of flowers. Well, whenever we mentioned the wedding, Mylea wanted to know how come Wendy couldn't hold her own flowers. Why did she have to hold them for Wendy? So I wasn't sure how she would do. Before the wedding, my dad told Mylea to throw the flowers at people....and I wondered if she would!

The wedding was great! It was a very special day! Mylea was so excited to see her "cousins". As soon as Brannon and Brayson arrived, they took off to play. It was so sweet to see Mylea and Brayson walking down the stairs holding hands. She was excited to walk down the aisle with Brayson.

Congrats Wendy and Brian! We love you guys!

Uncle WeWe and Mylea

After a lot of pictures.....everyone was pictured out!

Madison and Wendy

Mylea and Brayson getting ready to walk down the aisle.

It's hard to tell, but she did throw flowers on the ground.

A family picture......with Mylea

Ready to go play

Yummy Cake!

After the wedding....

Not sure what's up with Landen.

Big Toot, Jo, and Little Toot

Wendy's flowers....the green bow is one of Leightyn's hair bows.

Fun In Hot Springs

This past weekend we headed to Hot Springs for Wendy and Brian's wedding. Saturday morning we went downtown to eat some yummy breakfast. Mylea and Daddy were practicing their spirit fingers and pageant wave while walking out of Jo and Grandad's hotel.

While waiting to eat at The Pancake Shop, Mylea enjoyed sampling coffee and snacks at the store next to the restaurant.

Mylea fell in love with this pink poodle.....and it was PINK!

Awanas Derby Night

The last night of Awanas was Race Car Derby Night. Mylea was excited to race her car that she has worked hard on the last few weeks. She had fun painting and decorating her own car.

Showing off her car.

Getting the cars in place.

Ready Set Go

On to the next race

These are Maddie and Halie's cars! The pink and yellow were Leightyn's nursery colors and the colors of our Leightyn bracelets.

Leightyn's Decoration Service

div>Sunday morning we all headed to the cemetery for their annual decoration service. This service is something I can remember attended since I was a little girl. I was excited and thankful that our family had made plans to attend Leightyn's first service. We got there is time to check out the flowers and visit before the service began.

The service started with a few old hymns and a then there was a wonderful song call "Wish You Were Here". I don't think I have ever heard it before....but it was a beautiful song. I could see Leightyn telling us how wonderful Heaven was and that she wishes we were all there with her. Here are the lyrics to the song...

I can just see them walking on the shores of Heaven
Praising the Lord and watching the tide roll in
Friends that have gone on, oh how I miss you so
And somehow I know if you could, that you’d let me know
That you’re doing fine and it doesn’t hurt anymore
Things couldn’t be better and Heaven is worth waiting for
That you miss me too and till then you’ll be praying for me
And I know if you could talk to me now then here’s what you’d say to me

Wish you were here it’s such a beautiful place
Wish you were here nothing but clear sunny days
It never rains, and no one complains, and we haven’t seen a tear
We’re having a great time, wish you were here

I can just see them walking on the shores together
They’re talking with Jesus safe and secure in His Love
Friends and loved ones walking in Heavenly peace
And I know if they could talk to me now then here’s what they’d say to me

Wish you were here it’s such a beautiful place
Wish you were here nothing but clear sunny days
It never rains, and no one complains, and we haven’t seen a tear
We’re having a great time, wish you were here
It never rains, and no one complains, and we haven’t seen a tear
We’re having a great time, wish you were here

The service was great. The preacher talked about the importance of decoration. The importance of honoring those who have gone on. He reminded us of the legacy that many have left. He also encouraged us to live a life that would leave a legacy to those that are behind us. I kept thinking about Leightyn and the lives she has changed. Her legacy, her lifesong, continues to live and work among us.

I LOVE this picture of Mylea and Leightyn. I think it speaks a million words. She misses her sister so much. Mylea talks about Leightyn and how much fun they had together. Mylea also reminds me that Leightyn and Grandma Sissy are having fun with Jesus in Heaven.

This is off the subject....but, the other day I was replacing winter clothes with summer clothes. Mylea asked where the Tinkerbell pajamas were and I told her that I didn't know which ones she was talking about. She said the yellow ones. I still was clueless. In a split second, Mylea said "oh yeah, that's the ones that Sissy wore to Heaven". And she was right....Leightyn had on a yellow Tinkerbelle pajama dress when she went to the hospital. Talk about a whoa moment!

Leightyn's Belle....this holds many meanings to us. Landen took this to the cemetery a week after the funeral. Both the girls love Belle. They were always dressed as her, she was their favorite princess at Disney. Beauty and the Beast is their favorite movie. We also went to see the Broadway Beauty and the Beast two days before our lives changed forever.

Tootsie Roll from Grandad. Grandad would always carry Tootsie Rolls in his shirt pocket. Leightyn knew that she could always find some candy when Grandad was around. For Leightyn's first Halloween, she was a Tootsie Roll.

Beautiful flowers for our beautiful girl!

Red rose from Uncle Nigel....goes back to the Beauty and the Beast rose.

Awww...

Flowers from LaLa and WeWe's group

Mylea, Lloyd, and Landen

Mylea and her boyfriend Brian

My Mom, Dad, and Brother

Brothers and Wives

Landen's Family

Flowers from Aunt Dell

My Family

After the service, all of us (21..I think) went to eat lunch before everyone had to head back home. It was a great way to end a great weekend celebrating Leightyn's life. Thanks everyone who took the time to come honor Leightyn and her legacy with us!