Utah-Part 1

Dear Friends,

I just returned from a trip to the beautiful state of Utah.  I attended the funeral for my Grandmother.  Don't get me wrong - my family was very sad at her passing.   However, we know - as she did - that families are an eternal gift from our Heavenly Father.  We found solace in this fact, as well as the knowledge that she lived an incredibly rich life.  She was 90 years-old.  In fact, on her 90th birthday, she went parasailing!  That should give you a glimpse into this woman's life.  I didn't know what to do - living so far away from her - so I created a website (something I do know how to do).  If you want to see it, check out

Norma Garrett Robison Tribute

Another "silver lining" in this whole experience, was being able to see every single member of my Grandmother's progeny.  The family made a concerted effort to bring everyone together, as we didn't know when this chance would come again for several years.

My sister and my nephew's little boy

My son

My aunt and my father - doing battle with spatulas

My youngest sister and her smartest brother

Held in Orem, the funeral itself was a great experience.  The stories and messages shared were uplifting, full of humor and great reflections on the beautiful matriarch she was to our family.  I was a little nervous, as I had to sing during the service.  My Grandmother specifically asked that I participate in a quartet to sing How Great Thou Art.  Thank goodness my wife was also there, as she's a much better singer (you know, the kind that make everyone sound better). We didn't do too bad - given the circumstances.  I was also honored to serve as a pallbearer:

My son, nephews and younger brothers

Afterward, the family continued to "hang out".  We tried to capture some great photos of the family, but there always seems to be someone that wants to spoil a good picture:

My daugher, sisters and sister-in-law...oh, and one clown.

Join me in the next post, when we travel to Salt Lake City...