Coming into the Schroeder/Moore family

As most of you know Rita Schroeder past away Monday January 24. She had her funeral service yesterday January 31. Unfortunately Tanner and I could not attend funeral because it was in California and Tanner could not afford to miss school or work. From what we heard it was the best funeral that people have ever been too. I was not as close to Rita and her family like Tanner was. Let me just give you brief story of how I met the Schroeder family. Now just a little reminder to those who don't know me every well. I'm a little to insecure with myself. Also a little jealous. (Just ask Tanner)

It was the summer after my sophomore year in high school. I was attending the Rincon Valley Ward a lot because I made a lot of friends in that ward (one was my soon to be sister in law Michelle, but that's another story :) So now its time for young women's and the teacher decided to have class outside because it was beautiful day. As shes teaching I lean over to my friend and ask who is this teacher? (I knew almost everyone because the ward was still in my steak.) I did not know this teacher and I did not know her daughter helping her with the lesson or her other two daughters in the class. These girls were so pretty. They all looked so different from each other but they we're all so pretty. It was Rita teaching, her daughter Calee helping, Kristina and Brooke siting in the class. My friend gives me the update on this family. "They just moved from the other steak. They all have amazing voices. They are very smart. Kristina just got the Hinckley scholarship. Brooke is so funny. Calee is very talented." Oh is that all?

So as time goes by I became friends with Brooke. We hung out with the same friends and we also played tennis. I went over to her house one day and their was a picture of the family. I asked who this other girl was that I had never seen before. "Oh that's my oldest sister Nikki" Theres another one! Yup she was pretty, smart, a BYU cheerleader, and (at that time) had a gorgeous daughter (she has two gorgeous daughters now). Oh great could this family be anymore perfect!

A few years later I met the man of my dreams. Now me being me I still didn't get why he would be with me. I'm at his house looking at all pictures on the wall. There was a picture of Logan (Tanners twin brother) and this pretty girl at a school prom. "Hey that's Kristina Schroeder. You guys know the Schroeders?" Tanner filled me in. "Ya we grew up with the Schroeders. We hang out with the girls all the time. Our moms are best friends." Of course they are. Now Tanner or any of his brothers dated. They never really had girlfriends. As I'm staring at this picture I put it all together in my head in about 5 seconds. The Schroeder girls were all they knew. This is what I was being compared to. And there moms were best friends! I can not sing a tune. We all know I was not the best at grades in high school and I didn't make the cheer team in middle school let alone at BYU. Great. Tanner is going to think I'm such a loser.

Well 8 months later I tricked Tanner into marring me. Now that we we're married I could enjoy the Schroeder family without being scared out of mind that Tanner is going to run away to Vegas, marry Kristina and have the perfect IQ, singing, BYU Scholership kids. Now Tanner gets the red headed, can't sing a tune, insecure, bad spelling, bad handwriting genetics in his kids :)

I love the Schroeder family. I love that Rita was Tanners second mom. I love that Rita was the perfect best friend for my mother in law. I feel so privileged when I would ask my mother in law for her names to my wedding shower or baby shower it would only be Rita. I feel so lucky to have spent the last 3 Christmas Eves with Rita and her family. I love that she raised her girls to be so amazing that it scared other girls right out of their mind.

We love you Rita. You did good.