That Education Week High

BYU’s Education Week 2023 is in the books! What an amazing experience getting to participate this year as both an attendee (so nice having that all-access parking pass so I could easily come and go) and as a presenter. I especially loved getting to meet and connect with people afterward, to hear their stories and have them share how my words (really the Spirit) had impacted them. I was surprised that it happened all week long in the various classes or different events I attended. Even in the bathroom! And as tends to be the case most places I go, I also was introduced to new widows and was able to help get them connected with the LDS Widow/Widower community, which is amazing.

Getting ready wasn’t without its bumps and stresses (isn’t that always how it is?), and the week before did find me landed in that ever so familiar Emergency Room at the hospital. A bit different being the patient rather than the parent/spouse! I actually think I’ve only gone to the ER one other time as an adult (well, for myself – certainly have been there far too many times with A and Kendall), when I was hemorrhaging out after my worst miscarriage. I will say that being in the hospital with stroke-like symptoms was not high on my list of things I wanted to do.

Never fear, I did not actually have a stroke; our theory was that long Covid was a big factor and I’m sure it was all exacerbated by stress. I really am (mostly) okay now. I do have to continue to be careful with eating often and keeping my electrolytes up, as well as monitoring my blood pressure, and then of course doing basic practices like drinking water and getting enough sleep. Feeling a little nervous about how I’ll do with starting a new school year work schedule with such a full caseload (all of my clinicians left me at the end of the summer, and the intern I had lined up for this semester fell through), but I’ll figure it out. I am generally functioning alright now and I’ll be mindful going forward. Promise.

But back to Education Week! Despite the hiccup last week that seriously ate into the time and days I had for preparing, everything did come together and I felt like things with my two classes went well (I was so “well-pleased” when I ended my presentation exactly on the minute). It feels like such a privilege to not only be able to share my story and the things Heavenly Father has helped me to learn along the way, but also be able to give people encouragement and hope and point them back to their Savior.

It was also a privilege to get to co-present with my father this year. There’s a lot I can learn from him on preparing and giving presentations. I love and admire my dad so much.

Besides Ed Week, the other huge thing in my life is planning a wedding (oh yeah, and preparing for the actual marriage too, that part’s kind of important). It’s been hard and emotional doing so without Mom here. After all, she practically planned my first wedding despite not even being in the same state as me during my engagement. While I don’t necessarily need someone here this time spending literally hundreds of hours sewing my wedding dress, making calls and arrangements, assembling and stuffing invitations, even hand painting so many silk lilies for the reception, etc., I know that she would be involved with everything were she here. And we’d be having a lot of fun figuring out those details together. Even so, those plans will have to come together, and soon. October 10th is only six weeks away! We took engagement photos last Friday and should have them back in a week, which means we can get going on sending out those invitations.

There are also a few general questions that I’ve been getting a lot since getting engaged, so I figured I would answer them here.

The big one is, will the Sawyers be moving? No. It just made more sense for Jaime to move here to Provo, since I have my house, our ward, the kids’ schools and doctors, and my business is here connected to my home. It does help that I have changed or renovated nearly every room in our home since Kendall died, so it doesn’t really feel like the space we shared together.

Does he have kids? Yes. Two children, a daughter and a son. They are both grown, though, so we will not be combining households in that way.

How are the kids doing with all of this? Generally okay, although this has all brought up a lot of grief for missing their dad. Which brings up grief for Grandma. Which then makes everything feel hard (extra today, with it being Kendall’s birthday). We expect there to be some bumps and ups and downs particularly where they are concerned, as would be the case with any second marriage. They all are happy with how happy their mother is, however, and trust that I and their dad have their best interests at heart with instigating these new changes. And we are eating so much better now that Jaime is in our life. Like, wow. (I have not minded his willingly taking over that task. Not. At. ALL.) Frankly, I’m not sure how I would have gotten through some of the things that have happened the past two months had he not been here in our lives. Amazing how Heavenly Father not only knew exactly what we would need, but also when we would need it.

Will you be getting married in the temple? While we are both active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as a widow who is already sealed to her late husband, I am not permitted to be sealed again during my lifetime. So no, our marriage ceremony will not take place in the temple. It’s been a little strange to be planning both a reception and an actual wedding ceremony this go-around.

Did I miss any there? Really we’re all doing well. And time continues to march on. A has started at Utah Valley University (and can now stand for short periods of time without crutches!!!!), and the other kids started 5th, 8th, and 11th grades this year. I’m excited for what this new school year will bring!