Day 21 ?

Well I took a week off, it was my birthday week you know! We had a great time with Jessica and kids, and then we had a great time with the Jensen family!! Thanks to all who came, we love having our children with their families come to visit!

It is interesting that recently I wrote about Don Outwater, I think I was prompted because a while ago I stumbled across a short letter from him written in 2003. He was in a hospital in Seattle at the time. 2 days ago I got a message he wasn't expected to live long and then yesterday I found out that he passed away Monday night. A lot of mixed feelings there. I think the thing about Don the most is how he and I could of been such good friends. I guess most people would look at us and think - what do they have in common? Well we were brought together because of the gospel, and I think that we were given a gift of being able to love each other as much as we did. And so, although I wish I could have spent some more time with him the last couple years, I am grateful that he is over the physical suffering that he endured so long.

I remember that we did some good service for Don now and then, I remember a few anonymous Christmas gifts we gave, and some time spent helping fix his cabin and area a little. He was always interested in what our family was doing and asked about all you kids individually. So you had a positive influence on him. The last few years he was living in Anchorage, with his daughter and her family and then was in a rest home. My memories of Don will be of his excitement when we would take him to his cabin and listening to him whistle while he was there.