Better late than never . . .

It seems I'm getting farther and father behind here. Not only here though but everywhere. I didn't get anything graded at school today because we were getting ready for ISAT testing and review, review, review! I've got about two hours of correcting to do but I feel like I haven't written anything for so long that I'd rather do this now and go in to school early in the morning to get the other stuff done. This past weekend was amazing. The weather was incredible and we had the grandkids all here to play in the back yard. We set up the Jump-a-Roo castle that we bought them for Christmas and they had a blast. I had pictures and I will post some so you can see them. They were so darn cute. Then of course they had to swing. All Kennedy and Camryn would say was "push me harder." Lauren and Treyson had so much fun playing in the dirt and gathering dandelions. We got the Dora Jeep out and Lauren took Alie for ride after ride. Lauren is such a good girl and so considerate of other people's feelings. She has been taught well.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

And Now, Last but Hardly Least,
My Sister Julie . . .


What can I say, Julie is amazing. She is the second youngest of all my sisters and growing up I was probably closest to her as I was to anyone. She came along when I was about eleven or twelve, right when a young girl is in the babysitting stage and all I ever wanted to do was hold her and take care of her. It was great.

I remember when she wouldn't go to sleep I would lie down with her on my arm and sing her to sleep. Her sleeping on my arm is as vivid a memory as I had of anything. I remember being in my parents bed and her sleeping on my arm. I don't think I slept but I didn't move either until she woke up. She was such a beautiful little girl. It was hard not to love her with her blond hair and blue eyes, she was a doll.



She always got a long with Pam and Cherri and the three of them played so well together. As I got older and out of the babysitting age I think I got more interested in driving licenses and boys than I did my little sisters. But about the time Julie graduated from high school we became very close again.

Julie came to Ricks College, the same as all the Cameron's before her and would visit us on weekends every now and then. I was expecting Amy at the time, and we were getting ready to go home for Christmas. Julie caught a ride from Rexburg to Idaho Falls to meet us with a guy from Idaho Falls who worked at Pizza Hut. His name was Doug Rydalch. He was sure a friendly guy and the walked up to us in the mall hand in hand. I had never met him or for that matter ever even heard Julie mention him so I was a little apprehensive. He seemed nice enough and walked around the mall with us while we finished some Christmas shopping and then walked Julie right to our car and tucked her safely inside. Then he told us to drive careful because we had some very important cargo. Excuse me? I don't even know this guy and he's giving us driving instructions. Well, Julie talked about him the whole time, he called her in Canada all week long and the rest is history. To think she had only met him that day. His roommate heard that Julie needed a ride to Idaho Falls and told her his roommate was going home there that night. The Lord works in mysterious ways to say the least.

The next summer they were engaged and got married on January 11th. They are perfect together and I couldn't imagine either of them with anyone else. After they got married, Doug's boss transferred him to manage the Blackfoot store so they lived over on Clark Road in some people's house who were on a mission. It was less than a mile away from us so it was perfect. We spend a lot of time together and our relationship grew stronger every day.



They later moved to American Falls, and then back to Idaho Falls where Doug took over as General Area Manager for Pizza Hut. They built a new house up on RimRock and have been there ever since. Doug was laid off from his job when Pizza Hut down sized but quickly went to work for a friend in the construction business. Julie got her CNA one summer and has worked part time as a nursing assistant at an assisted living center and full time during the school year as a ParaPro with Jr. high school students. She's amazing at her jobs. Doug lost his job again when the economy dropped and building houses slowed down so now he takes care of the house, the family, and is going back to school to learn a new trade. I'm so proud of their family, they haven't let any of this get them down. They have three children, Brad who is serving a mission in New Jersey, Derek who is serving a mission in California, Blake who is in High School and Kourtnie who is in Jr. High. What an awesome family.

For years while our kids were all young we would go to Idaho Falls on Sundays or they would come down here for dinner and to play cards. We had so much fun and each one of my children remember Sundays fondly because of it.



When Julie was about thirty-six years old she got some bad news at her routine yearly check-up. The doctor found a cancer in her breast and seeing as how my mother had been a survivor of breast cancer, we know it was serious. She went in for the biopsy and sure enough, there it was. Julie underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery which is nothing short of incredibly amazing. Then she went through hours and hours of chemotherapy and radiation, loosing her precious, beautiful, blond hair. If it hadn't been for Doug who physically had to carry her into the doctors office some days for more chemo, I think she would have opted out of it. She was so brave and for her kids sake, she hung in there. Now she's cancer free and her hair has grown back.



She cuts her hair every year for wigs for cancer patients. They don't know how lucky they are to have her gorgeous hair. It was a hard time of life for her but she came through it with shining colors. I'm so proud of her and love her so much.

Though we don't get together every Sunday anymore, we remain extremely close. Julie will always hold a special place in my heart. I learn from her continually and her love and generosity never cease to amaze me. I love you Jules, I'm proud to call you my sister and my friend.