My grieving heart

Although our summer was wonderful and filled with so many happy moments, there were also some really tender and trying moments for me. One day, while casually checking my email in St. George, I saw a notification of a memorial in Fort Collins. As we haven't been there super long and have limited contact beyond our ward, I didn't expect to know the person who had died.

I can't describe the pain and shock I felt, as I read the name of my best friend in Fort Collins, Jennie Cornwall. I had seen her the day before we left and we had a lighthearted conversation about going swimming when we got back, I gave her a few outfits for her daughter and our kids ran around having all kinds of fun. We had planned to put Gunner and Teagan  (her son) in the same pre-school class.

Jennie and Richard started a 5 year program (in Chemistry) the same week we did and  we met them our second Sunday here. Richard had served with Justin in Heidelberg (the city where I met Justin) and Jennie was so cute and personable. We became fast friends, and with our husbands busy at school, we embarked on all kinds of adventures. We made jam together, exchanged recipes, crafted in the evenings when our husbands were still at class, and went on walks, to  the park, and all kinds of things. We called each other and asked advice and babysat each other's children.

After we moved to a new ward, Jennie and I continued to see each other and can together and we loved to visit about life. I pictured the days when we would get together as older, established women and think fondly about our sacrifices and happy moments as young mothers during our student years.  I had often thought of Jennie as my sister here in Fort Collins.

Jennie and Richard were driving home to Colorado, after a reunion near Vernal, UT. They were in a terrible accident in Rock Springs. Jennie was life-flighted to SLC and spent two weeks in the hospital until they determined that it was time to take her off of life support. Jennie's back was broken so badly, the doctors said she would be paralyzed from the chest down, and then it was determined that her brain was also severely damaged. So tragic. Her husband, had a shoulder injury and the kids (4 and 20 months) were not injured in the accident. She had unbuckled to help them when they crashed. This picture was taken the day before the accident (taken off of a blog made in her honor).

This was so much different for me than the death of anyone I have known. It was so close to home. So close to my situation. And Jennie was such a close friend. My heart is heavy with her loss, but it has made me appreciate life more, and helped me to be more intentional. I'll miss you sweet Jennie.