Joy and Sorrow

 We had another funeral today for our across-the-street Wander Lane neighbor, 

Paul Sundberg, who died unexpectedly last week. 

He was on the tail end of Covid and bored from just sitting around and watching TV.

Told his wife he was going to the garage to work on a project

 and 20 minutes later when she went to check on him, he was dead. He was only 66.

The really crazy thing is the week before the ward had a fast for our next-door neighbor, Ross Fornelius. He'd been in ICU on a ventilator for a week and wasn't doing well. Sick with a bacterial infection. 

He'd been too busy with work to go to the hospital even though he was pretty sick (he's a builder and had to meet the dry waller and another contractor and there was no way he was going to postpone it). But Margo insisted and turned out his oxygen level was only 58%. Doctor said he wouldn't have made it another day. It's just surreal that we were all so worried about Ross, but suddenly Paul is taken.

Ross moved to rehab yesterday. He has a long road to recovery but is hopeful to be starting that path.

Paul's kids all spoke and told funny and sweet stories. He was always helping other people. 

The go-to guy for anything anyone needed fixed or snow-plowed. Could build anything.

Wore cargo shorts and a polo shirt all year long, even in the winter. Loved candy and playing pranks.

Always snowplowed the front of our yard making space for all our visitors. 

Often making a huge pile in front of the mailbox which was a teeny bit frustrating, 

but we were so grateful too. So we chose to appreciate the work and live with the inconvenience.

It was fun to hear about his beautiful life, and so heartbreaking that he's gone.

Meanwhile Heather (my friend who had her legs amputated below the knee),

got home from the hospital yesterday. 

Neighbors lined the street to welcome her home. I wasn't there but heard she had her husband drive slowly so she could talk to everyone. Even stopping to ask a neighbor who had also been in an accident how she was feeling and recovering. Wow. She has a positive attitude and is so strong.

But another long road.

Life's fragile, you know? 

We just don't know what tomorrow will bring. 

I've been listening to the Primary Song "Build an Ark" all week in preparation for Singing Time.

It's a good one. Been making me cry all week too.