President's Day, Family

Today was a day full of mixed emotions. I learned this morning that my Grandma passed away. Last night when we were video chatting with my parents they told me that she had fallen and broken her arm over the weekend so she was in the hospital. They had some good stories to share about how funny she was on the pain medication. It was a light-hearted conversation, but obviously my Grandma's health has been declining ever since my Grandpa passed away last fall. It was her time. She is in a happier place free from her pain. But the absence of loved ones physically here on Earth is never easy for me.
Then this afternoon I got the news that my niece had her baby today! He is the first great-grandchild for the Hobsons. He's a cutie and baby and mom are happy and healthy.

I was so happy that my kids had the day off from school today. We just stayed home, but Ryder especially loved having his buddies home with him to play with. And they all made the day so much happier. I love my kids.

The kids noticed this note from Brad. I'm not very good at keeping plants alive and watered...

Reading time in Kade's bed! We made it like a tent since he's on the bottom bunk. It was cozy.

Selfies with Ryder are the best.

Tenley wrote down what she wanted to say for her lesson tonight. She's so sweet!

Our dear mother, Shirley Woodruff, age 87, passed away Monday, February 19, 2018. She went peacefully in her sleep at the hospital following a bad fall in her assisted-living apartment on the previous Friday. Shirley was born on August 9, 1930, in Salt Lake City. She was the third child of J. Alvin Butler and Edna Standing Butler. After graduating from South High School and attending the University of Utah for a few years, she headed to Southern California for a new adventure. There, she met Rex Marvin Woodruff. They were married on June 5, 1953, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They soon moved back to Utah and raised seven children. Shirley loved being a mother to a big family. She was an accomplished seamstress. She sewed three wedding dresses, countless dresses, and many quilts and baby blankets. She loved to sing. She was in many choirs including the Oratorio Society of Utah. She loved being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was so proud of her ancestors and her Pioneer Heritage. She was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She spent many hours doing genealogy and compiling her family histories and stories into several books. She served in many callings in the Church. After her kids were grown, she was thrilled to serve (with her husband) full-time missions in California, Palmyra, New York, and Toronto. That was followed by years of Church missionary service on Temple Square.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Kenneth Butler, and dear husband, Rex, who died last September. She is survived by her sister June VanCott and her seven children, Mark (Jo), Lon (Liliana), Brent (Rebecca), Duane (Angela), Cheryl (Philip Clark), Janette (Scott Peterson), and Richard (Alicia). She is also survived by 29 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. We would like to thank the staff at Legacy House for all the care and attention they gave Shirley, especially in the past few months since Rex died.