Marks Funeral

Marks Funeral was beautiful. His family did sucha a good job. They had everyone laughing and crying. Thank you so much for making it such huge success

I can't even describe the feeling that I had that day. I definately wasn't alone. I know that Mark was right there by me trying to wipe every tear before it fell. He did a pretty good job but I think he missed a few.

I don't think we could have asked for a more beautiful day.

We let balloons off with messages writen to Mark. A few days after the funeral Mark's brothers family was at church and they looked up to Marks grave and there was one just sitting in the air over Marks grave. The kids said look Mom it is like Mark sent us back a message!!! Love it!!!

Journal post from the night after Mark passed away.

On September 11,2010 I lost the love of my life. Mark Earl Cragun left this earth at about 11:00am. He left nothing undone though. Saturday night our house was completed from a flood that had happened a month before. Thursday we adopted the three beautiful children that were sent hear to us. The people that loved him were able to serve him the last few months of his life. I think he also wanted everyone to remember him so he chose September 11th, when there would be flags out for the rest of us to always remember. I had something small and maybe just silly happen. One of Marks last days was spent going to the Temple with one of his favorite young men, Chris Jarman in preparation for his mission. After going to the Temple Mark insisted that we go to get a cheesecake knowing that he would not be able to eat it. The Jarmans had chosen Sally's, a small Diner in Ogden. When we got there Mark saw a peach tart pie (his favorite) that h just had to have. Again knowing that he would not really be able to eat much more then a small bight he had to have it. Well, that night that Mark passed away a sweat sister in our ward brought me a peach tart pie from that small diner in Ogden Utah. Maybe it was just a coincidence or maybe it was Mark telling me he was okay. I can't even express my love for this wonderful man, or the hurt and loneliness that is in my heart. I miss him so much already. I want so badly to call him or just to see him sitting in his chair watching some stupid Spanish sports station. Now I just have to live my life so that he will be proud of me I have to serve because I know that he loved to serve. I have to be strong because he was alway strong. One think that I know he would be telling me right now would be to get up, and get myself together, be strong and stop crying. Oh how I will miss him, oh how I hope I can make him proud of me. I love you Mark and I will show you. ( This was taken from my journal on September 12th)

Trip to New Jersey and the week of no end.

I took a training class in New Jersey for work and spent a few days in New York here are some pictures from my trip. While I was there Mark had a really bad week. They had switched his pain meds and had him start taking them threw his feeding tube. So naturally he was finally getting them. Well in the passed we was perscribed such a high dosage because they were not helping him. Well because he was taking them threw his feeding tube he was getting them and way to much of them. I was gone and the kids were at different family members houses so it kind of went unnoticed. Good thing we have such great friends and neighbors that stepped in to help him. He ended up flooding the house more then once. There were a few times I almost came home early but those that were watching him told me to stay. Devin Pettit stepped up and with the help of the Elders in our ward made sure that there was someone at our house or at least checking on him at all times. But they didn't know the circumstances and weren't sure what was going on with him, so naturally they were pretty concerned. I didn't really understand what was going on till I got home.

When I came home I ended up having to call the insurance company to come in and help us with the house. We ended up having to replace all of the flooring in our house. Wow, what a project it ended up being. Mark and I were both so overwhelmed with the help that we received. Our ward family and extended family helped us so much, especially my Dad. I think he spent every minute that he could at our home for a few weeks. You could say it was almost like extreme make over. With in a week we replaced all of the flooring in our home, some walls and painted almost every room in my house.

Well to add to the drama I figured out what had happened with Marks medication and was able to get him back to normal or at least some what. He was feeling a lot better. One day I was so overwhelmed with work, the house and trying to get Mark to his doctor appointments. Mark had a doctors appointment and I had a ton to do at work. I came home and he seemed like he was doing really good. He told me he felt good and so I let him drive to his own doctors appointment. Well, I was at work for about 10 min when I got a call. Yep, he had been in a car accident and it was his fault. He couldn't remember what had happened. I felt terrible. I should have just taken him. The truck was totalled but he was okay.

During this long few weeks Mark started to have seizures again. The doctors just put him back on his seizure medication and told me it might take awhile for it to kick in. We had some pretty scary experiences and again we had so many people that were willing to help me and stay with him while I was at work and the kids were at school. There was one that really stood out it was one of his young men. He was getting ready to go on his mission so he was not working and spent a lot of time with Mark. I think they both loved it though.