The View

Bryn had a great time at school today. She was very cute as a Scarecrow and I especially liked her singing her Scarecrow song with all of the other kindergartners. I was very proud of Jadyn; she wasn't ready to go back to school but she went with me to hear Bryn sing. Jess always went to all of the kids' functions at school whereas I just went to the most important ones. I will be at their functions as much as I can now because as someone at the Viewing pointed out I have big shoes to fill. I feel like I am missing half of myself without Jess, but need to be twice the person. I am so thankful that each of my girls has her own circle of support in addition to our extended family here. I am glad I don't have to raise them on my own and that lots of people will help me look after them.

Jadyn and I went to see Jess on our own about 2:30. I was very thankful for just the two of us to be there before anyone else got there. It was hard for her to see her mommy, but I was glad I took her at the same time realizing it would have been too hard for Bryn. I didn't take either of them to the Viewing tonight, instead the Yikes went Trick-or-Treating with our Pastor Jason and his family tonight. They had a great time but like me are exhausted. Katelyn went with me but rather than stay the whole time, she was able to leave to go a Halloween party at a friend's house.
I met three of her teachers tonight and was so impressed by them. All three of them possess a quality I can only define as "more than a teacher."

I liked talking to people at the viewing tonight because I got here what Jess meant to them and to hear brief stories about her. It amazes me how Jess has really effected our whole community and beyond. Jessa thought of herself as an ordinary person with an amazing faith but ended up being extraordinary. I also thought it was pretty cool that so many showed up in support of the members of our extended family. Before tonight I did not realize that so many of them have had great support as they journeyed with Jessica.

I heard several people telling stories about our wedding day. So much happened it will go on several posts, but tonight I will at least tell you about how I almost didn't make it. It was a bitter cold day that would soon turn into ice storms. Nick Chuquin, my best man at our wedding drove me to the wedding. I had a Mitsubishi Eclipse at the time and it started acting funny. The radio started cutting in out and then the interior lights dimmed and then went out. That's when my alternator went out and my car died on the side of the road. It was before the days of everyone having cell phones so we decided to walk to the nearest gas station to call the church. I imagined Jess sarcastically saying, "Sure, your car broke down..." We might not have made it on-time if it hadn't been for an eagle-eyed Aunt Sandy. She spotted us on the way to the church and picked us up. I made the mistake of joking that I needed to find Jessica's wedding ring because I had dropped it. It was a mistake because of the many retellings of this story, some people have come to believe I actually did drop the ring but was able to find it. Tomorrow I will tell what happened to Jessica on the way to our wedding.