Remebering Cody Towse

'American hero' Cody Towse remembered at funeral as everybody's friend

 

There was such amazing community support and unity. Flags were gathered from everywhere that they could be found. The day that Cody's casket was flown into the U.S. to the Provo airport... there was a procession from there to his house in Elk Ridge. Turn up the long Elk Ridge road... there were flags on both sides of the road lining the roads all the way to his house a spanning several miles. Everyone came holidng flags to wave on and show their support. Their were other soliders, officers, EMTs, so many people there waiting to show support for this brave fallen soldier. It helped us to realize the personal sacrifice of freedom, and that its not really free. It is being fought for daily. It was a humbling and special experience to attend. He will be remember for all of the good he did. He had become known in Afghanistan as the "Candy Doc"... he was a trained medic who had recieved such respect as to be referred to as "doc", and becamse known as the "Candy Doc" because he frequently threw candy to the Afghanistan children.

Time Fades Away......

It is now December..... the year will be coming to a close soon.... and I realized that at some point I stopped writing. As I come back to write, and I realize how much time has in some ways faded away, I have so many thoughts and reflections... because I do want to finish our blog for the year. We have had many special memories, and many wonderful tender mercies and memories. But we have also shed many tears, we have lost family and close friends.

As I came back to this blog after so much time, I found it interesting that the last post I made had pictures of both TylerKate in the cemetery at Grandma and Grandpa Blowers grave... remembering those who have gone before us, and the wonderful impact they have had on our life, but it in the very same post, I also had pictures of the temple. Oh, how these two things go hand in hand. To me it felt reassuarance and and sense of peace.... I wouldn't know it at the time that I had posted those pictures... but in just a few short weeks... this would become a theme for us throughout the year.... loss of loved ones. And so it became difficult to write. We were trying to go on, and although we have felt a huge amount of peace and assurance through these times, there is still the process of grieving which is part of our learning experience.... and it was as if time stopped for us... but it kept moving on for everyone else... and before we had the chance to get back on our feet, we would feel loss again. We would feel loss four times.... 3 within 1 month, and then just a few months later 1 more that was really close to our heart.

As the year has been coming to a close, I have realized that I want to continue this blog, fill in the gaps and voids the best I am able... so that we will be able to print this out... as a book... our family journal, as we have done once before.

I wasn't quite sure where I wanted to start today, but then I had this memory in my mind of a beautiful rainbow amid the storm clouds... and I realized how much peace it brought me. Rainbows are a reminder to be of Gods love, and of His promises kept.

They fill me with a sense of hope, and one of the tender mercies I had this year, has often been to see a beautiful rainbow at times when I need that reminder most.

No matter the trials, Gods love and promises remain true and sure.