On Thursday, August 16th, 2012, Sharla Rochelle Cohen Prior passed away at the young age of 30 in her sleep. She was a great friend to me and my family, along with her 5 small children, and you can really learn more about our relationship in my post It Made Me Think.
A friend of mine from SLO, Amy, also moved to the Mesa/Gilbert area around the same time as we did last year and was also good friends with Sharla. So we decided we would drive out together in her minivan with Gianna (almost 3) and her 4 children Solomon (6), Lincoln (5), Sariah (3), and Winston (1). Yes, that is 5 small children and an 11 hour drive one way from Mesa, AZ to San Luis Obispo, CA. I think we did pretty well on the way out, we left at 4:30am and got into SLO right around 3:30pm. It was good leaving that early, most of the kids got a bit of sleep, watched a ton of DVDs and we stopped for breakfast and lunch.
While in SLO we stayed with our favorite family friends Mark and Helen and Gianna's Best Friend For Life Sadie for our first 2 nights, Wednesday and Thursday. Helen was amazing and went to get our favorite salad and breadsticks from Nucci's for us for dinner, so Gianna and I had a nice time playing in the back with the puppies while she was out. I love Buddy, he's such a good boy :)
Apparently 11 hours in the car were a bit much, she started giving me these funny poses to take pictures of, then would immediately want to see them.
Funny Girl! - Side note.. she is also just rearing to go and get in the Spa.. yet another amazing perk of visiting Mark and Helen :)
Gianna with her best friend Sadie. While we were house sitting for them in May/June these two became inseparable. It seemed as though they picked up right where they left off :)
Gianna's favorite way to spend time with Sadie ;)
On Thursday we spent the morning with our good friend Sara at home (they bought our old condo so it really is going home :) It was so nice to just spend half a day there relaxing and talking. In the afternoon we went to Avila Beach to play.
There were humpback whales in Port San Luis while we were there. While I didn't get any great pictures of them it was amazing to see them come out of the water with their mouths to get the krill (or whatever bait fish had been brought in by the currents).
Sara and her kids Sabrina and Joel, and Amy and her kids came out to watch the whales with us since they were already out at the Avila Barn.
Those aren't scared tears, those were tears because no one would let her hold the baby lizard. She was so happy to get him on her arm!
.. and he proceeded to go around to her neck. Best part of the beach? The whales? No.. The dolphins or seals? No.. The Baby Lizard? YES
We also went to Farmers Market that night in SLO. Yum!
Out walking Sadie Friday morning.
With cousin Marissa walking to feed the horses in Los Osos. We stayed with my aunt and uncle in Los Osos Friday and Saturday night.
Leah, Dane, Gianna, Marissa and Maggie feeding the horses :)
The "customary" hay ride back to the barn!
On Friday night I went with my aunt and two cousins Leah and Tamara to Sharla's viewing at the mortuary. Even after seeing her, I know that my last memories of her will be good ones, most likely with her laughing in them. It was nice to watch the slide show that Mike, her husband, had put together to play at the viewing and the funeral.
Saturday morning I drove up with my cousins to the funeral in Atascadero. It was such a wonderful service and they had an amazing turnout. My cousin Leah spoke and talked about some really great times with Sharla. Sharla's husband Mike gave the Eulogy and it was perfect. He had us laughing through the whole thing, which is exactly the way Sharla would have had it.
That afternoon we went to the Los Osos Valley Cemetery for her memorial. She had a full military burial with a rifle salute and taps played. It was a very emotional time as this was the first time her 5 children were brought to one of the events. It was a beautiful service and I am so thankful we made it for that.
Saturday night my aunt and uncle had a dinner at their house in Los Osos for close friends and family of Sharla and Mike. Gianna had a great time playing with the girls and cousins. We did slip away after a bit however to attend the Corn Feed our old ward from church was having that night at Port San Luis.
Gianna had a great time playing with her old friends, and I had a great time visiting with mine.
Gianna and Sariah.. BFF!
Leaving Sunday afternoon from the Richards was hard for Gianna. She had such a great time with Marissa and "baby Dane" as she still calls him. She wouldn't pose for a picture because she knew that meant the end.
Uncle Bryan with Dane and Marissa and an elusive Gianna in the background.
Finally.. locked into her seat and a good picture!
On Sunday night we stayed back in SLO at Mark and Helen's so that we were ready to go in the morning. We left SLO around 10am Monday morning and the trip back was a bit more hectic than on the way in. But we made it safely back to Arizona with everyone in one piece and still friends ;)
I am thankful we were able to make the trip to SLO to celebrate Sharla's life and spend time with family and friends. It is always so nice to go home..
And another home is where my parents are in Sedona, AZ... the last 5 of the 40 hours...
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