My Grandma Beardall

My sweet Grandma "B" returned home to our Heavenly Father Tuesday. We love you and will miss you so much.

Billie Irene Blake Beardall, 78, passed away October 21, 2008. Irene was born on September 17, 1930 in St. George, UT, to Reed E. and Ethyl Harris Blake. She married Clyde LaVoy Beardall on May 28, 1949. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. They recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary. Irene attended St. George schools, and in high school won three state championship tennis titles. She graduated from BYU in Home Economics. She earned her Masters Degree also from BYU in Library Science, taking some of her classes at Long Beach State and Cambridge University in England. She taught in Provo School District for 25 years, at Dixon Jr. High and as the Media Specialist and Librarian at Timpview High School. She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed many things including traveling, shopping with her children and grandchildren, quilting, and crocheting. Irene was an excellent seamstress and quilter. She also played in Contract Bridge Tournaments, but her passion was reading. There wasn't a book that she hadn't read, and she always had a new book to suggest to anyone interested. She and Clyde enjoyed years of traveling the world together. Their congeniality attracted many life-long friends. She took pride in the beauty of her home and had a talent for interior decorating. She never met a house or room she didn't want to decorate. Irene is survived by her loving husband Clyde; one son, Douglas, two daughters, Gayle (Bryan) Christensen, and Lisa (Bruce) Murdock; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren; siblings Reed H. (Katie) Blake, Kathleen (Robert) Mitchell, and Karen (John) Frei. The family extends a special thanks to the compassionate caregivers of VistaCare Hospice, for their loving care. Funeral services will be held Friday, October 24, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. in the Suncrest 10th Ward Chapel, 90 North 600 West, Orem. Family and friends may attend a viewing on Thursday evening from 6-8 p.m. at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary, 495 South State St., Orem and at the church on Friday one hour prior to services. Interment will be in the Provo City Cemetery.

This past week I've sort of had a little "awakening" if you will. I was busy cleaning our house, Ava and Will were both napping, and Cael had been following me from room to room asking me to play a game with him. I was trying to hurry and just kept telling him I would play when I was finished. Well he kept at it, trying to get me to stop what I was doing and just sit and play. Finally he said, "Mom, I'll pay you four dollars if you'll play with me." Are you kidding me? I about lost it. I had been so caught up in what I was doing, and what I thought was so important at the time I didn't even see an opportunity to spend some one on one time with him.
When all is said and done, and my kids are all grown, will I look back on this time in my life and say, "I wish I had cleaned my house more", or "I wish I'd spent more time at the mall" or "I wish I would've watched more episodes of....". The answer is NO. The only thing I will wish I would've done more is spent more time with my kids, played with them more, laughed with them more, taught them more, showed them more love and patience. I can't risk the chance of ever having those regrets.
Whenever I get frustrated with all of the responsibilities that are placed before me, or anything really that would distract me from my most important role, a poem comes to mind that my mom often says. It goes like this:
"I hope that my children look back on today, and see a mom who had time to play. There will be years ahead for cleaning and cooking, for children grow up while we're not even looking. So quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep. I'm playing with my children, because children don't keep."
-author unknown

hOgLe ZoO