I was writing in my journal this morning...

. . . that just a week ago my mom was still with us, and it's so hard to believe that it has only been one week since she passed away. It seems like a lifetime ago. The past week was very long and at the same time just flew by.

This afternoon a beautiful flower arrangement was delivered to my door from some wonderful friends that I haven't seen in almost a year. I think of them often, and it is so nice to know that they are thinking of me.

Our ward photographer took these pictures of "the Jackson family" back in April for our ward directory, and his wife emailed them to me while my mom was in the hospital. They were buried in my inbox until I opened them today, and I wished I had looked sooner.

Earlier this year my mom was unhappy about having to do chemo again, and she was unhappy about her hair thinning more with each treatment, so she went to the cancer center and picked out a wig. I love how it makes her look years and years younger, and how happy she looks in these pictures.

She's still reminding me that I have so much to be happy about.

Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Daughter, Sister, Friend

Ellen Jackson
April 26, 1953 -- July 5, 2011

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Ellen Phillips Jackson, 58, and mother of 11 children, passed away Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at home in Woodway. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, July 8, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7201 Viking Drive, in Waco. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 7, at OakCrest Funeral Home, 4520 Bosque Blvd.

Ellen served in many church capacities in music, teaching, and at various times and on many occasions as a leader of children, youth, and adults. In recent years she substitute taught at Midway ISD, particularly enjoying working with the special education students.

Ellen is survived by her husband of 37 years Lawrence, 60, of Woodway; her mother, LaRue Phillips Pack of Idaho; brothers and a sister Brent, Ray, Paul, Wayne, Vaughn and Nancy; her 11 children, Heather (Allen) Shutt of Greenville, Lorraine (Jack) Starks of Waco, David (Chelsea) of Dallas, Sarah (Matt) Svedin of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Eric (Callie) of Dallas, William (Rebecca) of Austin, Rebecca (Travis) Woodsworth of McGregor, Mary (Luke) Mott of Waco, Daniel of Provo, Utah, Mark who is serving a two-year church mission in Rancagua, Chile, and Matthew of Woodway; and 18 grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the LDS Philanthropies Humanitarian Aid Fund are welcomed.
( http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services/ )

A Guest Book is available at www.oakcrestwaco.com

Love you forever.

There must be great rejoicing in heaven tonight, and many happy reunions.

Sisters

Recently I have been able to spend more time than usual with my sisters, sisters-in-law, and their kids. It makes me wish we all lived closer together, and so, so glad that we have been able to be together now.

Thanks to Sarah for this.

Thanks to Mary for this.

Thanks to Heather for this.