My cute neighbor Shawna....

Life is so precious and can change so fast. Last Tuesday night, I was in the car getting ready to take Curtis to a Stake Youth Fireside on Chastity/ Morality. My cute neighbor Shawna pulled in as I was getting ready to pull out- we smiled and waved like always, like we have done almost every day for the past 5 years.

At 5:00 am on Wednesday morning, Paul's cell phone rang (I don't know that any call at 5 am is ever good). It was Mike, Shawna's husband, calling-he had woken up a little bit earlier to get a drink and rolled over to find that Shawna was not breathing. Our cute friend and sweet neighbor had passed away peacefully in her sleep.

Shawna was a miracle girl. A little over 2 years ago, Shawna suffered a major heart attack after having some chest pains as she changed her baby's diaper one evening. The ambulance came, and Shawna crashed once on the ride to the hospital, then 2 more times after that. She never should have made it, but prayers are answered, miracles happen, and our friend, Shawna has been proof of that.

Shawna loved these last two years. She got to be a stay-at-home mom to her 2 boys for most of that time and she loved it! She and Mike and her mom took the boys to Disneyland last year and had the time of their lives. The love that you feel in her home is tangible, and the pictures that she has left are great evidence of that.

My girls loved Shawna and loved to go chat with her and she was always so gracious with them. Their school pictures are on her fridge. My 3-year-old, Cael, is super buddies with Mike and Shawna's 3-year-old, Zander.

This week has been a sad one. We miss our friend. We weep for Mike, Hunter, Zander, and Candy who have lost their wife, mom, and daughter. We miss our friend.

The thought is always there to live like today was your last or what would you do if you had one more day-cute Shawna got 2 bonus years and she lived them that way, such an example. I hope her boys can always realize how much their mom loved them.

I love my neighborhood-people have been wonderfully supportive during this sad, sad time. It is amazing how tragedies can bring out the best in people, and how the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father abound. During all the commotion on Wednesday morning, with fireman, policemen, neighbors, etc. at the house, the boys stayed asleep. I don't know how they did, but they did. Their world completely changed when they woke up, but their mom can stay in their minds the way she was when she kissed them goodnight.

Shawna was loved and she will be missed incredibly. I am so thankful to have known her and I am so thankful for my own life, everyday...