Karen Arlene Close

Karen Arlene Waters Close 2/5/1942 ~ 2/17/2011 If you are reading this it means I have left this world to be with my sweetheart, my mother, sister and all the others I love who have gone on before me. What a wonderful reunion this will be. I leave behind my son, Steven Close, his son, Michael and his daughters, Sarah, Alyssa (Jake) and great grandson Gavin; My daughters Gina Close and her friend of many years Tina Austin; Julie (Ralph) Hays, her son, Anthony Gamble, her daughters, Johannah Gamble and Breeannah Hays; my daughter Sherilyn (Bill) Jones, her son William, her daughters, Amanda and Megan. Brothers Albert (Trudy) Waters and Michael Snedden; and family friend Lance Gamble. I have been so blessed to have my beautiful family and so many dear friends. This life has been a heck of a ride. The joys far out weigh the sorrows. No flowers, no tears. Please just do something nice for someone. See you on the otherside. It's been real. I love you so much! "...blackbird singing in the dead of night take these broken wings and learn to fly..."




This sweet lady was a friend of mine from convergys. I found out last week that she died in her sleep from many health problems. I was sad when I heard but it never really hit me till I read the obituary and I am now writing this blog. Death affects me differently than most I think. I have never really cried when someone has died. I have had my grandparents and great grandparents die and I have had some friends die but I never get sad. I think its because I know I will see them in the afterlife. I have been affected by Karens death and I am sad but this step in her life has put her out of her misery and she is no longer in pain. I love that she has written her own obituary. Thats something that she would do. I love this woman dearly and she was like a grandma to me. I will miss her and many many other people will miss her too! This blog post is dedicated to her! I love you Karen!

Conversation with the sleepy Stefen

I love this man! He makes me laugh my pants off! So I woke up around 9 am this morning and went into the living room and i was just goofing off on the computer. Well about 930 I hear stefen say GIRL.... Girl... Where are you girl? Girl I cant find you! I was laughing so hard I finally answered and said I am not girl I am Bri. SO he was like o and fell back asleep. Well 15 minutes late he says Bri where are you!? Bri Where are you? BRI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was like Stefen I am in the living room! O okay he says. He then says Bri we have to go to sams club right now! I was like well we have to eat and you have to get dressed. No Bri we have to go to sams club right now. So he gets out of bed and does something and walks into the living room with his garments on and his wallet right under his garments. Yes my sleepy husband thought his garments had a pocket in them and he put his wallet in this said pocket. O my gosh I havent laughed that hard in a long time. He finally woke up confused and I proceeded to tell him what was going on. We frequently have crazy nights and mornings like this.

Random Nothings

Stefen got a job! He is now working at U haul and he will be working at home. He will start on Feb 28th and were both very happy for him. Because of this new job and him needing to computer most of the time we decided to get a laptop with the tax return so I could do school! So Friday night Stefen came home with a brand new gateway laptop. Its been fun because it has a webcam so we can now Skype people and see them face to face.
We didn't really do anything for valentines day this year as I have been horrendously sick with fevers and coughing and whatever else. But today I decided that I wasn't going to feel that way anymore! So I got up and went to enrichment which was so much fun unfortunately I probably should have stayed home but it was a blast to hear about peoples opinions on faith, divine nature, and individual worth, I have discovered that I am becoming an observer and large groups. Which if you know me at all I usually have something to say. But I think at the same time it works for me.
This weekend we have some friends from Utah coming over for the Arizona half marathon! I have known them most of my life and I am thrilled to have someone here that I know and that I am comfortable around!

Keep the Fork

I got this email today by a dear friend of mine and I thought I would share. It brought tears to my eye and what a lovely thought. So here you go! Enjoy!

There was a young member who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Bishop and had him come to her house to discuss the aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at her funeral service, what scriptures she would like read, and the Temple Clothes she wanted to be buried in.

Everything was in order and the Bishop was preparing to leave when the young member suddenly remembered something very important to her.

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.

'What's that?' came the Bishop's reply.

'This is very important,' the young member continued.



'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Bishop stood looking at the her for a long moment, speechless & not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?' she asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Bishop.

"Let me explain", she said 'My grandmother once told me this story,
and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to
those I love and also to those who are in need of encouragement.



In all my years of attending ward socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part of every event, because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie, a jelly roll or delicious upside-down cake. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in my casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'

The Bishop's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young lady good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did.



She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people
twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge.



There was no question, She KNEW that something better was coming, and she wanted others to know, she knew!!!

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and
they saw her Temple Clothes with the home-made apron, she was wearing and the fork placed snugly in her right hand.





Over and over, the Bishop heard the question,

'What's with the fork?'

And over and over he smiled, knowing his message would be well received.

During his message, the Bishop told those in attendance, of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died.

He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her.

He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

Friends are a very rare jewel , indeed.
Friends make you smile and encourage you to succeed
Friends make you cherish the time you have , and the memories you share ....

Being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND even if it means sending back to the person who sent it to you.

And remember, "KEEP YOUR FORK"

One year ago...

One year ago we had our first date a year ago today! On that day we went to Chili's for dinner and sat there for 4 hours! Now don't you worry or fret we didn't do that today. So we started the day with Stefen making with breakfast he made egg in the head! The we went hot tubing. So I know he had something special planned today but he wouldn't tell me what it was. He kept telling me that it was a fancy place and we had to have reservations and UTI students got a discount. So we get back to the apartment and he goes now make sure you wear nicer clothes for our date. So i dress fairly nice I even put makeup on! Which if you know me that never happens. So we get in the car and were driving and I just new it had to be Boston market. (Side-note: Boston Market used to be in Utah when I was younger and my dad worked there. I loved it. When I saw it here I was thrilled but we could never go there!) So guess what we pull up to Boston market! We didn't really have to dress up at all! The goof was trying to throw me off but I knew better! He says it worked slightly! Ha ha ya right I knew all along! So after that we went to FYE and got some new movies and let me tell you the original superman with Christopher Reeve is ridiculous but we bought it and watched it. So now we are both sitting in front of this computer watching my hands type away! Well thats all!

Stefen in front of the Boston Market! YAY!!

Stefen posing his "dressy out-fit"

My dressy out-fit. And Stefen thinks that my head looks big in this picture is that rude or what!?

Us together.

The Phoenix Zoo

So in December before Christmas we decided that we would take a trip to the zoo. Its one of the top rated zoos in the country and the thing is HUGE! It took us about 4 hours to see everything and we didn't do any of the extra stuff you can do. We didn't take very many pictures but here are some.

So the turtle above was HUGE! I mean the thing was easy as big as a cougar. The one below was the smaller turtle and it was pretty big too. But aren't they so cute. I want one so bad!

This was a fish that was like 4 times the size as Stefens hand! It kept swimming by us and wanting its picture taken.

The cow type things were in the same Savannah area as the giraffes and the ostritchs.

They had i think 6 giraffes and this one kept bending over to pick up a branch to play with. Have you ever seen a giraffe bend over? It was pretty funny to watch.