Really sad day......

Today Matt and I attended the funeral for Marcus. It was a beautiful service. There were hundreds of people in attendance, many of them high school students. Marcus played in the marching band for his high school, and I lost it right before the service when the entire marching band marched in dressed in their full uniforms. To see such solidarity and support from these special teenagers was really moving. After the service the band lined up in two rows to make a path and the casket was carried between the rows, then the family followed. Although it was sad, the service was very uplifting. In our LDS faith, we believe that life on earth is a small part of our eternal life, that it is a time for testing and trial. We believe that when we die we will be able to see our loved ones again. This doctrine was repeated many times throughout the service and it brought me comfort. The most difficult part of the day was seeing Karen. My heart was breaking for her. To watch your child suffer and then accept a reality that children shouldn't have to face must have been so difficult. It makes me so sad and terrified that brain cancer is taking so many children. Since Matt's diagnoses, I have known of 2 other children in this valley with brain cancer. They are both gone now....... Matt's diagnoses is slightly more positive. He has a grade 3 Pilomyxoid Astrocytoma rather than a grade 4 Anaplastic Astrocytoma, but I still get scared, and I still think this awful disease shouldn't be taking our children away from us. Today was a somber day of reflection.