We came home last night. This last week seemed like months... really exhausting. So much happened- so much laughing, so much crying- just a draining roller-coaster ride. I want to say how touched I was for so many people to come to my brother's funeral. It meant a lot to me and my family.

When my little Travis realized his Uncle Travis was going to have a funeral- he'd seen President Hinckley's funeral on the Internet- he asked if he could make a card to put on the flowers. We told him yes and he said, "I just don't know what I want to put on it... Oh! I know! I'll put, 'We love you Uncle Travis'". So while we were at my mom's house, getting ready for the funeral on Thursday, I helped him make a card. He used white card stock and a black sharpie and he wrote his message and signed it From Travis Ratcliff. He also drew a picture of his Uncle Travis and on the cover he wrote Love Travis. He put it on the flowers on the casket and as we all walked past it before the funeral, the tears flowed. After the graveside ceremony the funeral director asked me if I wanted it placed inside the casket or if I wanted to keep it, I had him ask Travis and he said he wanted it inside the casket. The man assured him that he would put it inside. It was so sweet. Travis and Katherine cried and cried at the graveside too- they seemed so grown up.

Katherine has a notepad that she got from music class and she writes everything in it- like a journal. Johnny and I found several pages that she had written about her Uncle Travis dying and that she loved him and misses him. I don't think I was that mature when I was 5 or 7. We can learn a lot from children...

So many people brought such delicious food to my parents after the funeral and many of them came and visited with us. It was so appreciated.

On Friday, my parents' missionary came to visit for the weekend and brought his wife and their two youngest sons. My parents were living in Virginia, my mom was pregnant with Charlotte and Elder Esplin and his companion knocked on their door. After several visits my parents were baptized. Monica was 4 and Melissa was 2. Over the years Brother Esplin has kept in contact with my parents and this weekend they had planned to meet the entire family. When we got the news about Travis's accident we all agreed that we still wanted the Esplins to come. That night he called and I gave him the bad news but assured him that he and his family were welcome to come. Thankfully, they did! They are such a nice family and with all the commotion with the funeral and comings and goings, they seemed to enjoy themselves. They live in St. George Utah and have six children, three girls and three boys. We are so thankful to him for having served his mission. We believe that if it weren't for him, most of us would not be here- at least in this family. My parents had decided Charlotte would be the last baby- can you imagine??! I am so thankful for their testimonies of eternal families and that they changed their minds on how many kids they would have- I'm the sixth.

Well, now that we're home in Hemphill and Blog World, it's back to laundry and dishes! Gotta love the boring life! That's when I know the world is okay...