Thank You To So Many

These past few weeks our little family has been so blessed by so many for which we are eternally grateful. There have been so many kind emails, cards, calls, and visits by so many friends and family. There have been so many beautiful flowers sent, books that have helped, gifts to help us remember our sweet boy, hours of working in our house, funds to help pay for the funeral expenses, meals to feed all of our family members in town as well as Brittany, me and the girls after everyone left, hugs, car washes, and so many other kind acts. This outpouring of love has helped to lift and encourage us. These and so many other tender mercies of the Lord have helped strengthen our knowledge that God does love his children and that many times he shows that love through kind acts of others.



Two of the greatest tender mercies for Brittany and I during these past few weeks have been our sweet daughters Savannah and Mikenna. They are having a difficult time but seem to understand so much. They have said many things that have helped us remember to smile. During the funeral Savannah reached up to Brittany and pulled Britt’s head down to her shoulder and just hugged her. During a very difficult day Savannah just sat next to Brittany and I as we cried. After a few minutes Savannah said something a bit funny that got us to smile a bit. She caught the smile and said, “Mommy don’t smile, don’t smile mommy. I see you smiling, don’t you smile. Don’t laugh mommy or you will wet your pants.” By this time she had us. She is usually pretty good at getting a smile out of us. A few days ago Mikenna drew us a picture of Daxton in the clouds and next to him she drew Heavenly Father and Jesus. She loves drawing pictures of Daxton. These are just a few of the many experiences over the past few weeks in which our girls have put a smile on our faces and touched our hearts with their kind, inspired words.

Brittany and I shared a few of our memories of Daxton at the funeral services. Brittany posted many of them in her tribute below. I would like to share a few more as well as a few of the closing comments from our remarks at our sweet Daxton’s funeral services:



Daxton loved to go outside with me. Whenever I was headed out Britt would ask him if he wanted to go outside. She would say, “Outside? Outside?” He would get so excited and pant like a little puppy. We would always go straight to the wind chimes first. He would reach up and touch them. As they chimed he would giggle and giggle, this never got old for him. Many times I would take him to the garden and pull a few weeds with one hand while holding him with the other. When we planted the garden for Family Home Evening he sat in the stroller and watched us. He wanted to be out helping and fussed a bit so Mikenna and Savannah would take turns pushing him around while we planted. He also loved to go get the mail with us. Savannah would usually end up pushing him in the pink (that was one of the few hand me downs he got from his older sisters) stroller while we would walk to get the mail and then go around the block.



Since Daxton’s birth I was always so excited for when he would be old enough to play catch with me. The last few weeks before he passed away he loved to catch with me using a little green bouncy ball. I would roll the ball to him. He would pick it up and try to throw it with both hands. It would usually bounce off of his head or feet and roll towards me. If the ball was too far away from me he would bear walk/crawl over to it and try again. He loved playing catch and would giggle every time he threw the ball as I clapped excitedly at his great throw. I’m so glad I got to play catch with my little guy before he left us.



We know that families are forever. As we’ve been remembering the past few days from our perspective the thought came to us that we had not considered the past few days from Daxton’s perspective. Thoughts have come to us that Daxton had a crowd of family and friends in his room with him throughout Sunday night, anxiously awaiting his return to them. Among them, we felt that our grandparents, my sister and many other family members and friends that have passed on from this life were there comforting him and then embraced him when he joined their side of the veil. We were then impressed that he met and embraced our Lord and Savior. Next his journey took him to meet his Heavenly Father and Mother. The thought then came that they encouraged him to come back to comfort and help his parents, his Aunt Lollie, and the rest of his family make it through this very difficult time. These thoughts were another tender mercy of the Lord for us.



We want to bear testimony of the truthfulness of the Atonement. We testify that Christ died and now lives. We are so thankful for the knowledge that we can live with our little chubba wubba if we live righteously. We are so thankful for a second less talked about part of the Atonement - the enabling power of the Atonement. I know that because Christ has suffered all things he has been able to succor us and bring peace to our hearts. This peace does not take away the pain, but it helps strengthen and give us understanding so that we might bear this burden.

Tribute to my chubba wubba

Daxton was born on May 31 2007 with all the hair from Heaven. I cried when I saw his perfection. He was so handsome with his wrinkly old man look. From the beginning he was a mother and father’s pride and joy. We held him every our every waking moment. I never left him out of my sight. I checked on him when he was asleep, I carried him wherever we went. He was so spoiled. His sister’s loved to hold him and love him as did all who knew him.



Early on he developed 3 cries, one to tell us he was poopy, one to tell us he was hungry, and one to tell us to save him from his sisters. I could tell every last one of them. Doug soon was able to as well as he had to tend him when I went back to work. I thought he was ready to sleep through the night, but Daxton had another plan in mind. When we would hear him, we would make a bottle, take it in, and he would hold it, but only until we were finished changing his diaper and then he would drop it and give us a “uh, uh” which meant that were supposed to hold him and his bottle.



His blessing day was beautiful. We had family and friends around us. Doug was able to bless him that he would serve a mission and raise a family. We now know that his mission is in Heaven.



One day Doug found Mikenna and Daxton on our bed. Mikenna had a mischievous look on her face and thought for sure she would be in trouble. While I am not a fan of my 6 month old eating a sucker, this was VERY hilarious.



He loved to play with my hair when I fed him. It pulled all the little hairs in the back and I would have to try to put it back and then it would fall forward again and he would grab it and just run his tiny little fingers through it again. He loved for us to sing to him when he went down. We rocked him every night. I told Doug that he was never to put him into bed and let him cry and if he did I was never to find out about it. His favorite songs were I am a Child of God and Teach me to walk in the Light. I would hum them while he was drinking his bottle. If I didn’t start singing, Daxton would look up at me with those baby blues and rosy cheeks and start to sing himself until I started. It took about an hour each night to get him to sleep. It was easier to put the girls to bed first and then him.



He loved to be outside. We went to a park in Las Vegas while Doug was on a business visit and he crawled around and climbed on everything. I thought for sure he was going to fall and break his head. He was so mad when it was time to go. I can only count a few times he was upset with me when I picked him up and this was one of them. He screamed and yelled and then when it was time to wash up he was especially upset.



Oh how he loved his uncle Danny. The bond they shared was created in Heaven. No matter who had him, even me, if Danny was around, Daxton’s face would light up and he would practically jump out of my arms or whoever was holding him to be with uncle Danny. They played many a game of Warcraft and spent many hours of homework together.



I only got frustrated with him a few times. He was my precious little boy and seriously with those blue eyes I could NEVER say no. The last day I saw him alive I put him down for a moment and he stood up to the counter, gave me a big yell and plopped down on his bottom.



When I got ready in the morning he would sit on the bathroom counter and play with a toothbrush and the toothpaste. He would get his toothpaste and slobber all over the mirrors.



every once in awhile I would find him in the refrigerator and he would have his pants down because he couldn't ever keep them on. He would yell for me to come and rescue him and of course I did, but not before I took a picture.



Mikenna and Savannah loved to help with baby brother. He received that name very early on of “baby brother.” They helped with diaper changes, with bottle making preparations, making him food, feeding him all sorts of goodies like ice cream and cake and cookies.



I remember not to long ago we were at the store and we bought an ice cream. I got a big one for me and thought I would just share it with Daxton. He ate all but three bites and was very upset when there was no more for him. He saw that Mikenna had one and she was so sweet to share with him.



He climbed on everything! He was happiest on the couch, I guess he figured he could see better up there. He would run the couches, well crawl. I had to put them together with the table in the middle because he would just jump from one to another and I didn’t want him to fall and break his head. He would crawl over to me and then give me a great big open mouth slobber, a big smile, a brief hug and he would be off again.



He loved to play on our computers, when he saw that Doug was on his computer (all the time) he would crawl over to him and with all the love and annoyingness in the world began to press all the keys you didn’t want him too.



I remember playing Settlers with my girlfriends and trying to nurse him. It was always a challenge because he would peek his head out and I would lose my concentration. I blame him for my losses for I was focusing more on him than the game.

The last day I saw him alive, I gave him many a kisses. I hugged him and smelled him and my sister literally had to pull him away. He had just began to clutch at me and he had a grip on him I didn’t know a baby was capable of. I looked at pictures while we were at Havasupai and prayed every waking moment to keep my babies safe.

Daxton Memorial Fund

Many people have asked for a "fund." My mom created a Daxton Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo Arizona. The account number is 9612719972(we originally had incorrect number here). The name of the account is Daxton Douglas Kunz Memorial Fund. The number to call is 1-800-869-3557 and just give them the numbers or go to a local Wells Fargo. We appreciate all the flowers, time, and efforts of all involved. We were able to feel your thoughts and prayers today. I will update more as I feel less drained. Thank you again and we love you all.
loves

Services for Baby Brother

We just finished up with the funeral. Quite possible the hardest thing I have done up to this point.... the viewing will be on Friday June 13th at 2228 E Brown Rd at the Mesa East Stake Center from 6-8pm. The funeral will be on Saturday June 14th from 12-1 with a viewing from 10-1145. Thank you again for all your thoughts and prayers.

Loves

In Loving Memory of my chubba bubba

My sweet perfect little baby left this earth yesterday, June 9. He was found in his crib with the blinds cord wrapped around his neck. He was given CPR and then taken to the hospital where they worked on him for 45 minutes. They never got a heartbeat. It was so sweet to hold him and love him when we finally got to the hospital. They were so good to us and let us stay as long as we needed, which of course was not long enough. I will post the arrangements as soon as I know more.