This is a blog post
for Zach’s would be 15th birthday.
If you are reading this on July 27th, say “Happy Birthday Zach!” For that is Zach’s birthday. I have been reminiscing about his life and
the MANY things he would say that would cause each of us to smile and
laugh! So, in memory of Zach, today’s
blog post is about the things Zach would say to bring a smile to each of our
faces.
When Zach was about 18 months old,
he was sitting in his high chair just after finishing his breakfast. I went to the fridge to get myself a Diet
Coke. I put ice in my cup, and then I
began pouring my long awaited refreshment into that cup. (If any of you know me, you know that I am a
diehard Diet Cokaholic!) After getting
my thirst quenching drink poured, I took a sip.
Unbeknownst to me, Zach was watching my EVERY move. After I took that sip, I heard this little
voice say, “tsk…aaahhhhhh!” I immediately
looked over to Zach and he was grinning ear to ear—just as if he had had a sip
of that delicious Diet Coke!
When Zach was about five or six
(can’t remember for sure), I had him along with Chelsea, Aaron, and Rachel in
the car. I remember Aaron accusing Zach
of farting and Zach immediately replied that he “did not!” Aaron again said, “yes, you did!” Zach looked at him and emphatically replied,
“well, I didn’t feel the bump!” Yes, all
of us could not stop laughing—sorry about the potty humor—but it was such a
cute story—especially in regards to his thought process.
He loved getting on the phone to
talk with his Dad, with me, or with any of his siblings. Instead of saying, “how’s it going?,” he made
up his own version of inquiring as to how you are doing. He would always ask, “So, how’s it been
doing?” It became his signature
question, and each and every time he would ask, we would always smile.
When Mark came to interview for the
cardiology position here in St. George, we had the privilege and opportunity to
be shown around by Dr. Roger Millar. Roger
was driving us around in his luxury SUV—a Porsche Cayenne. Zach was 7 at the time and point blank asked
Roger, “Are you rich?” To which Roger
responded, “We have saved our money to buy things.” Zach later asked Roger, “Have you ever seen a
heart explode like a volcano?” To which
Roger responded, “why yes, I have!”
At a Father/Son campout, Zach
happened to see our Bishop—Bishop Kim Hafen.
In order to understand how funny this was, you have to understand some
of the titles given to those who head some of the organizations within each
Ward unit. At any rate, just as an FYI,
a Bishopric consists of a Bishop and his two counselors. When Zach saw Bishop Hafen at the campout, he
yelled, “Hey Rick!” Bishop Hafen
replied, “My name is not Rick.” Zach
then replied, “Aren’t you Bishop Rick?”
Bishop Hafen is definitely a good sport and we still laugh about that.
Zach would be 15 on the 27th
of July—this Saturday. He would have
gotten his learner’s permit and then we would be teaching him how to
drive. He would be a sophomore this year
in High School. He would be getting
taller and his drumming skills would be even better than the year before. So many “would have beens” that simply never
will be in this life anyway. But, to
know where he is, to know what he is doing, to know how happy he is, brings
this mother a great amount of comfort and peace. How do “I know” these things? Quite simply, my faith.
I miss Zach MORE than mere words can
even begin to describe. However, I feel
this incredible urge to serve with ALL my heart…serve in the temple, serve in
Special Needs Mutual, serve as a visiting teacher, serve my family. Interestingly enough, when I am serving with
all my heart, I forget myself and I am able to focus on trying to meet the
needs of someone who may be suffering. I
have found purpose in doing this. Most
important, I can find myself.
In Loving Memory of Zach
This was one of Zach's favorite groups before he died AND
one of his VERY favorite songs...
He truly is in Paradise
