Our family: December 2011

Everything can change in an instant. We received a phone call on December 14, 2011 at 10:42pm that changed everything. It was my dad, with the kind of news that no one wants to hear. My 17 year old brother, Dane, was no longer with us. I can't describe the grief that overcame my husband Kent and me. We broke down. Then we realized that we had to get to Blackfoot. We rushed around, packing a few things in a mad dash. We got the kids in the car and drove to Blackfoot.

I was scared at what circumstances and feelings would be waiting for us there, but as I sat in our car, I could not deny the peaceful spirit that was with me. I sat and reflected on that feeling. I knew that Dane was in a better place. The next few days were very, very difficult. Through all this though, there was a peaceful, uplifting spirit. My family shared a lot of spiritual experiences that helped us all come to a better understanding of the entire situation. Kent described it all as the most difficult thing, but also the most sacred thing he has ever experienced. I could not have put it better. It was very sacred.

Our lives have changed.

Dane changed our lives for the better. I am so, so grateful that I got be his sister. I want to tell you a little bit about the wonderful person that Dane is. Knowing that anything I can put into words won't be good enough to really describe him, I will try to give you a glimpse of his awesomeness.

One of my favorite things about Dane is how great he is with kids, particularly my kids. He was the best uncle to all five of his nieces. They were drawn to him and always wanted to play with him. He would freely give his time to them for hours.

He would do so many things with them, from taking them outside, to jump on the trampoline or just play around the backyard, to playing x-box, to watching princess movies. He was so patient.

I got this picture of Dane when he was playing with Kendra. She was wearing Mickey Mouse ears and he was wearing these goofy ears. This was taken back in 2007.

Just last summer, my family went to Yellowstone together. Kendra rode on Dane's shoulders every time we went anywhere. She was even on his shoulders the day we went to see all the geysers, which entailed a lot of walking.

This was the day we went to the Bear and Wolf Discovery Center.

He also played in the pool with Camryn. She had so much fun.

This next picture I am embarrassed to post, both for myself and for Dane, but it is one of my favorite memories of how absolutely wonderful Dane is.

Kent and I planned a Dora and Diego birthday party for Camryn and Kendra. We needed someone to play the part of Swiper, and asked Dane. He agreed. He would do anything for those girls. Dane came and worked hard before the party helping Kent clean the yard. Then Dane and Mickell helped decorate. Then I showed Dane the costume. It was ridiculous. I had a hard time finding one. The best I could put together was this fox hat with a blue mask and orange shirt and pants from the DI. After he saw it, his eyebrows went up. His expression said, "You have got to be joking!" He let out an apprehensive laugh, then took the costume to put in on.

He played the part wonderfully. He was great and the kids loved it!

This was Dane holding Kendra outside the temple when Jonathan and Jessica were married. He had tied his tie to look like a bow tie. He was always so much fun.

This picture was taken of Dane and Camryn at my first half-marathon in 2007. He was there with my family, supporting me from the sidelines. They would go to various points along the way and wait until I ran passed, then would drive ahead and wait for me again. It made that race so much more meaningful.

This day we were riding snow machines in front of my parents home. Dane is between Jonathan and Kent being pulled by Travis on the snow machine. Later we got a picture of all of us together.

Dane is one of the most unselfish persons I know. I can't think of a time that he put himself before someone else. He subtly gave his time, his attention, his bed, or anything else someone may have needed. This is part of what made hime the best uncle, the best brother, the best friend.

This is one of my favorite pictures of Dane, it was taken at a lake near the Tenney's cabin in Arizona last summer.

Dane was never front and center, but he was always so much fun. He had a subtle, awesome, fun personality. He was always chill and laid back.

These pictures are of Dane and one of his closest friends at school. I was told these were taken as part of a school project.

Dane was an amazing artist. This is a picture of a drawing he did of our sister, Mickell.

This is another one of his drawings. It is of his hand holding his i-pod shuffle.

Dane was an avid skier. He purchases a season pass each year. This year he had an annual pass to Snow Basin in Utah. He would go every Saturday. It was the only thing he would ever choose over time with our family together.

Dane also strived to live the gospel and do what was right. Dane liked his hair long, but when his Deacons leader called him to a leadership position, he cut his hair to be a good example.

I remember hearing about a time that he was at his friends home and his friend starting doing something that Dane wasn't comfortable with. He didn't just go in the other room, he called my mom and asked her to come pick him up.

I was told that if any one at school was being disrespectful to women or saying negative things, that he would speak up against it. His friend said that Dane was always positive.

Dane was also just an awesome guy. He had an awesome sense of style. He was cool. Everyone that knew him liked him. He had a way of helping people feel accepted.

His senior pictures were taken a couple of months ago. I am so glad we have them. They depict him so well.

I love you so much, Dane. I am so grateful to be your sister.

Kent and I have shared the goal of attending the temple together since we were first dating. We took Camryn and Kendra to Logan, Utah a long time ago. I don't even remember what that trip was for, but Camryn loved the temple there. She called it the castle temple, because she thought it looked like a castle. We returned to Logan occasionally, and always took time to admire the castle temple. So when Kent and I started discussing which temple we might like to be sealed in, the Logan Temple seemed the most appropriate. We bought a picture of the Logan temple and it has been hanging in our home as a symbol of our goal. Kent Parkinson

This goal finally became a reality, and we had a temple date set for September 17, 2011. Right up until the last minute, it was hard for me to believe that this was really happening. I had been wanting to go through the temple for so long.

That morning, before we went inside, Kent's cousin, Whitnie, took some family pictures for us. She is an amazing photographer and captured our day so well. It was raining that morning, but she still got some wonderful photographs.

The time finally arrived for us to go inside. I had the opportunity to take out my endowments. It was an experience unlike anything else. It was absolutely amazing. The feelings I felt were indescribable. I know that the things I felt were real and the blessings of the temple are from God.

Kent and I were also able to be sealed together, for time and all eternity. I love Kent so much. He is such an amazing husband. I never dreamed I would have someone like him. I feel so blessed to be his companion forever.

After our sealing, Corinne was brought into the room to be sealed to us. Words cannot describe the feelings of love that came over me when she walked in, all dressed in white. You could tell from her expressions and mannerisms that she could feel the special feelings of the temple. The spirit that was felt in that room when she walked in was indescribable.

The whole experience was the closest thing to heaven on earth that I have ever experienced. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if Camryn and Kendra could have been sealed to us as well. I also wish that they could have felt the amazing spirit inside the sealing room. But when we came out, they were there waiting for us.

I love all three of my girls, and my husband so much.