It's not like me at all to do a picture-less blog post, but in preparing to post about our trip to Portland I've been thinking a lot about the reason for the trip. Before blogging days I was hit and miss in my life about keeping a journal and I have never recorded some things that are very dear to me. And some things need to be recorded, this is one of those things...
When Ryan and I got married he had just finished his second year of Optometry school at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. We moved into our new little apartment in the neighboring town of Hillsboro. After only being married and in our place for a few weeks I got a call from my new Visiting Teachers and they came to visit me. They were a Mom and Daughter pair, Melody and Jessica Burton. They came to visit me and they ended up staying for about 3 hours, we talked and talked and talked. I told them all about our wedding and our little love story and they told me all about their family, which from day one, I knew was incredible. Our friendship was instant.
Melody and her husband, Ted, had 6 children. Jessica was the oldest and had just graduated from high school, then Jason, another teenager, then 10 year old twins, Jasmine and Janessa, then 6 year old Jared and 2 year old Jamie. Jared and Jamie both have Down's Syndrome. I could not even imagine having 6 children, not to mention two of them having Down's Syndrome. Mel also had a major health problem, when she was 20 years old (after she had given birth to her first two children) she found out her spine was deteriorating. At 20 years old doctors had told her her spine looked like a 90 year old. She was told her body could not handle any more children and they had adopted the Jasmine, Janessa, Jared and Jamie. Her back causes her constant pain and at the time she was unable to do many every day activities. Her children had all learned how to help around the house and help with the younger children, I was constantly amazed to see that despite her limited ability, things always ran smoothly. She would have times she would be down in bed for 3-4 weeks at a time, then she would be up and about again and it was a constant cycle, she had learned how to deal with constant pain and her family had learned to take care of her and each other. Truly, the were an amazing example to me of what a family should be, loving, caring and helping always. I admired them so much.
After knowing The Burtons for only 4 months, and only 5 months of marriage, my newlywed blissful bubble of perfect and care free life was burst on October 1st, 2002 - the day my Mom was killed in a car accident. My words can not even begin to express what that evening was like, to have my little sister tell me over the phone that our Mom was dead. My 43 year old Mom was dead. How could that be real? I was 12 hours away from my family. Ryan and I quickly started to pack to head to Utah and make flight arrangements, then he drove me over to the Burtons, I needed to tell them. Jessica opened the door and I remember telling her that my Mom had been killed in a car accident, she immediately brought us in and took me up to Mel's room, where she was down in bed. I remember crawling onto her bed and telling her that my Mom was dead, and having her hug me and cry with us. I also remember Ted giving me a Priesthood blessing. After going back home and getting ready, Jess drove us to the airport at 4:00 AM.
Two weeks later when I returned home to our little apartment in Oregon- being completely physically and emotionally drained and exhausted after my Mom's funeral- I walked in to find a vase of beautiful fresh flowers, a beautiful and comforting print hung on my wall and cards from Mel, Jess, Jasmine and Janessa. The girls had also made cookies for Ryan when we had gotten home. (He had to return after the funeral to get back to school and I had stayed for another week to be with my siblings.)
Over the next year, Mel carried me through what was the most difficult year of my life. She was there for me everyday. The Burtons took Ryan and me in and treated us like part of their family. We had Sunday dinners with them, we hung out with them on Halloween, we spent Thanksgiving with them, they invited us to go with with them to cut down a fresh Christmas tree. Any time I just needed to cry, (which was a LOT) Mel insisted I didn't need to do it alone, I spent many hours crying on her couch and on her shoulder. She was always doing something to lift me up- a hand written card telling me they loved me, a little treat or gift, she even took me shopping one day as a pick me up and took me to GAP and bought me a new outfit. She shared in my excitement when I found out I was pregnant and was constantly checking on me through my whole pregnancy. And of course she was there, visiting me at the hospital the day Pierson was born.
Also while we were there, they adopted another sweet daughter into their family, 9 year old Jennalise came to them from Russia. It was amazing to see them go through this experience! We were blessed to be in the Portland Temple with them the day thy had Jennalise and Jamie sealed to them. By the time we were moving away they were in process of adopting 2 more boys from Russia. Yes that would make 9 children.
We moved from Oregon back to Utah when Pierson was only 2 weeks old. On our moving day Mel was there, doing the last bit of cleaning that needed to be done, bringing me lunch and spending the last few hours we were there with me. As if she didn't have a million other things that needed to be done all the time, but she was there for me. I remember taking some pictures as we got ready to leave and she stayed there until we were literally pulling away, waving good-bye.
Our time together living in Oregon was short, just about a year and a half, but it was such a crucial time in my life. Getting married, my Mom dying and having my first baby in one year was a lot. If was life changing to say the least. It was by far the hardest time of my life and Melody and her sweet family got me through it. They loved us, supported us and shared in our sorrow and in our joy. I will be forever grateful to this special family and especially to Mel. She is a true friend. More than a friend, we became her family.
Since we've been away (81/2 years!) They have added 4 more children to their family. Little Jillian came shortly after we moved away and over the next few years came Jeremiah, Jallidia, and Jayla from Etheopia. 13 children are blessed to call Ted and Mel, Mom and Dad! The last few years Mel's health has gotten severely worse. She can no longer go up the stairs, she is in bed almost all of the time and she now has to use a wheel chair when she can even manage to get our of bed. She lives in constant physical pain. She has also lost her dear mother and last year they lost one of their beautiful daughters, 15 year old Jalidia. My heart has ached for her in these sad times and I have wished so much that I could be there for her!
So, this fantastic family is why we took a trip to the great Northwest...
