Laughter through my tears

"The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache."~Marjorie Pay Hinckley~

We had a tragedy in our ward/neighborhood/school this past week. A sweet 15 year old girl,Megan Pysnak, was in a skiing accident, and she ended up in Heaven.

I was just starting out as her Sunday School Teacher for the year, and I'm so sad that I don't get the chance to get to know her enthusiastic spirit better.

Megan was a special girl. Very smart. Very pretty. Very talented. Very talkative. I liked her zest for living and her spark. She was beyond her years....and really got along fabulously with adults. i will always remember her beautiful smile.

She will be missed. I've been crying for days-- and eating, of course.

We had her funeral this morning. It was amazing. The Pysnak family all wrote farewell letters to Megan, to tell her what she meant to them, and to share some sweet and funny memories with all in the audience.
We also got to have a very special visitor-- Pres. Thomas S. Monson. He came to the end of the viewing, and Wayne and Laila and I happened to be right there.

He said he wasn't officially invited to come today, but he knew by the spirit that he was supposed to be in Bountiful. What a great comfort to the Pysnak family.

Wayne picked up Laila and introduced her to the Prophet. They talked for a bit, then the Prophet asked Laila to give him a high five. She did..and giggled. It was amazing. What a great memory. She was sooooo excited.

I came home from the funeral uplifted and teary...and I ate two giant pieces of birthday cake left over from last night. ( My eating habits have not changed.)

I don't think people go to heaven one moment sooner than they are supposed to. When someone dies I believe they are taken up and held and cuddled and they get to leave the worries and struggles of this world behind.

I'm going to SMILE the rest of this day.
Life is sweet.