In the words of another great Paul: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith."

Paul passed away in his sleep last night at 11:30. Hayden was at the Scout Klondike Derby winter camp out near Rigby. Tyler and Brandi, Parker, Cameron and Jacob had been here at home with me, watching movies. After the first movie, Tyler and Brandi went home. I kept falling asleep during the second, so I got ready for bed. When I came back downstairs, I felt prompted to tell the boys that Paul would probably be going that night. I had just sat down to tell them, when I heard a sound coming from the other room and went to check on Paul. By the time I got to his side, he was gone. I came back and told the boys, sending them upstairs until I got Paul ready for them to see him. Parker called Tyler, then our friend Grant, who was at the camp out with the Scouts, and he woke Hayden and drove him home. I called Darla, and Bishop Wightman. When they arrived, they called the other family members, as well as hospice and the funeral home. We had about an hour to sit and talk before they came to take Paul's body away. I appreciated the gentle manner in which they handled things.

We all went to bed around 2 AM. Hayden woke Parker up at 8, asking him to take him back to Krupp Scout Hollow so he could participate in the sled races with his scout troop. When he got home, he told us that when they were running the first race, they felt a sudden burst of speed right at the end, allowing them to win that heat. We think it was Paul giving a push from the other side. Hayden was chosen to receive a special award by the leaders for coming back and finishing the events: a handmade wool coat (like what a mountain man would wear.) That meant a lot to him.

Darla went with me this afternoon to make final arrangements for the funeral. I am so grateful that Carol and Angie helped me get most of it planned last week. The only thing left to decide today was the date and time.

There will be a viewing at Flamm Funeral home in Rexburg on Wednesday, January 21 from 5:30 - 7 PM. The funeral will be on Thursday, January 22 at 11 AM, with a viewing from 10 - 10:45 AM, at the Rexburg Stake Center.

I have come to realize how blessed I have been for spending the last twenty-four years with Paul. I feel like those years have been so joyful, in spite of the trials of the last sixteen months, because we had to fit a lifetime of love into half the time. Paul spent more time with our sons in that same period of time than many men do in their entire lives. We have so many happy memories to draw upon in the years to come.

Here are some things I have learned from my husband:

Always keep your sense of humor. Just last week, after Paul had stopped taking fluids, he commented that his mouth was so dry, he could spit sunshine.

Don't complain. It doesn't improve the situation, and makes others feel bad, too.

Treat others with respect. Paul had many friends from all walks of life because this belief was part of his character.

Family is more important than anything else. We never questioned where we fell on his list of priorities.

Putting complete trust in the Lord brings peace. He knows our needs and how best to meet them. This has been the greatest lesson through this trial. Throughout this often painful experience, we have known that all would be well, even though we would be losing our husband and father for a time. This knowledge continues to bring us comfort and hope for the future.

Death is not an end, but a beginning. Paul was excited to move on. Towards the end, when he was still able to communicate, he wondered aloud why it was taking so long to be done.

I'm not finished yet; Paul told me this himself. There's still work left to do before I'm ready to rejoin my sweet husband, so I had better get busy. We all had.