So, How is Kerry?

This post was written by my twin sister, Kim, who changed her travel plans and flew "home" to be with us the week of Brendan's funeral.  She is such a blessing in my life. Obviously, I wouldn't leave heaven without her, so we got to come to earth together!

 How is Kerry?  That is the question I would be asking this week if I were still reading the blog from a thousand miles away, like I usually do.  If I called her on the phone, and if she had time to talk to me, she would tell me that she is actually doing pretty well.  I would believe her a little bit, but wonder what she wasn't saying.  Well, now I believe her when she is saying she is fine.  She is.  For now.
I've had pretty close access to Kerry the last few days, so here is what I know:

I haven't seen her cry until I just randomly broke down, and she wrapped her arms around me, held me, cried with me, and told me that she had had her cry this morning, too.

There is a lot of laughter in this house when everyone is telling stories about Charlie.

Kerry hasn't cooked a meal or worried about what to feed anyone. She can pull out a feast at the first grandchild or nephew that starts to say, "I'm hungr......"

Kerry loves.  We all know that.  It shows through the blog, and she is the same in real life.

People love Kerry, and she truly, with her whole heart, loves them back.  She tells me stories about the kindness of their doctors and everyone at the hospital who learned to put up with Charlie's "sass" as she calls it.  She speaks of the kindness of neighbors, ward members, teachers, friends, and family who write, comment, send gifts, bring food.

Kerry keeps watching the chrysalis for signs...gold speckles are appearing, meaning it is getting close...

 This is one of the most pure, Christ-like services: a friend who knows what it is to lose a son came and polished shoes that will be worn at the funeral.

 There is a lot of work going on, and a little bit of stress.  Deadlines keep coming: death certificate to review, obituary to submit, meeting at the funeral home, flowers to order, funeral program to submit.  Between submitting the funeral program this morning and setting out pictures of Brendan tonight, Kerry stopped at Hyrum Dam with all her kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews and spent a few hours on the beach.  Sarah even coaxed her out onto a paddle board for the first time!  She loved it!

Kerry took time this afternoon to show her nieces Brendan's Beads of Courage.  They wanted to know what every bead represented, and Kerry knew them. She had a specific memory attached to each bead, and I could see her re-living a lot of moments at the hospital as she listed things like the life flights, PICU, finger pricks, radiation, CT scans...and on and on... there are hundreds of beads, and hundreds of memories.

 Flowers are arriving.  Beautiful flowers and beautiful notes.

 Items to set out for the display table are ready.

 Sorting through Brendan's papers and mementos from his wish trip.

 Picking up clothes from the dry cleaners for the viewing and funeral.

 Sorting through pictures and putting them in Brendan's book.

Kerry and Shaun make a great team.  I am listening to them laugh together as I write this.  They worked together before, and they are working together now: Shaun wrote Brendan's obituary; Kerry is writing his life sketch.  Shaun texts her with a question. She calls him back. Tonight, they read scriptures together with their family, and had family prayer, and then spoke about what would be expected at the viewing tomorrow night.  There was a little trepidation about it from the kids: what they should wear, how they should act, where they should stand, but as they all talked it out together, they got used to the idea, and in Peck fashion, it ended in lots of laughter....everyone still sitting in a circle....together as a family. That's what it has always been about.