Amy Schlauder.

Leah's funeral is all kind of a blur to me, but this is what I had typed up to say. Not really sure if these are the words that were said, but these were and are some of the feelings in my heart. I decided the easiest way for me to share some of my thoughts was in a letter, written to my sister.

Dearest Leah,

We all miss you, but I have a pretty good feeling you already know that.

I’m gonna try and read this without too much crying, because I know you’d rather have us all laughing.

So, how is Heaven? How does it feel to be free from your tired body? After I heard you left us, I prayed and prayed that God would be gentle with you. Are you doing okay? When you saw Grami for the first time, did she give you a love pat on your butt, or a kiss on the lips? Probably both. And if there's any way for her to be spoiling you in Heaven right now, I know she is.

I already miss the way you always said “Hey Ame,” whenever you saw me or answered the phone. You know how to give the best hugs, and how to make anyone laugh. Somehow, your sarcasm has never been hurtful, just funny. And we've always loved being around you.

It’s hard to believe it was just last week, when you were cracking jokes around the dinner table on Thanksgiving. They were really dumb jokes too, but we were laughing at how funny YOU thought they were.

I remember when I was just starting middle school. I was not happy to be growing up. You tried to cheer me up by saying that Schlauder girls have a special power, and together, we came up with a Schlauder power cheer. We stood in a circle, put our hands in the middle, chanted “Schlauder Power,” then raised them up with a sassy, “Schlauder girls got attitude.” (There may have been a handshake or a dance afterwards. I’m not really sure.) But me and Ally felt really cool to have a cheer with our older sisters.

I remember sitting in the front seat of your teal green Camaro, learning all the words to Mariah Carey’s song. “Heartbreaker” with you. I still have it memorized. And I think of you every time I hear it. (Or anything Destiny's Child.)

I remember one time sitting in your chair at your salon. You brought a pack of index cards and markers. We thought of 100 (or more) reasons why you loved your husband, and we took turns decorating the cards for his Valentine’s Day present. Your heart's always been so big, and you've always had so much love to share.

I remember the themed birthday parties you planned for your kids, and the way you wanted your house to always be decorated just right. I know you love your kids more than any of us can even comprehend. And I promise you, Leah, that we will all take such good care of them, and let them know how much you love them.

Leah, you are far more beautiful than you have ever realized. You have touched so many lives, just by the simple ways you make others feel good about themselves. You've always loved doing hair because you wanted other people to feel beautiful. I remember the joy you felt when you made women with cancer feel beautiful again. So many people love you, Leah. I hope you will someday see the beauty we all see in you, and the beauty our Heavenly Father sees in you.

I know you want to be better. We all want to be better. I'm just so grateful that that progression, of being a little bit better every day, doesn’t end in this life. I’m so grateful that you can become the Leah you’ve always wanted to be. And I can become the Amy I've always wanted to be. I find comfort believing that now, that progression will be less painful for you.

I don't understand exactly how Christ's atonement makes it possible for Him to be the perfect judge, but I know it does. I know He died for me and for you. He knows what we struggle with, what hurts us most, and how to best to heal us. Maybe this life got just a little too hard for your soft heart. And Heavenly Father wanted to wrap His arms around you and welcome you home.

Lee Lee, I miss you dearly, but I know I will see you again. I hope that by the way I live my life, that I can show you how very much I love you and look forward to laughing with you again.

Love always and forever,

Amy

Kristy Neilson Galindo

My family has known you since you were born, the third of five gorgeous girls! Your family has always meant so much to me and been such role models. The feeling in your home always made me believe that the Heavenly Spirit can truly dwell wherever it is welcomed. From the days that we played on your family computer (which I think was the first computer ever invented!) with our virtual "Barbie" games. Jennie, Amber, and I would always try to get you and Karen to "find something else to do" so we could hog it all to ourselves! To the days of our curlers in our hair at school and the awesome "Stars" performances. Amber, Jennie, and Kristin teaching us dance routines to perform to our parents in your backyard (and then charging them for it!) Patrick Lane was always a little piece of Heaven and so was the entire Schlauder Family. Now, you are an Angel dancing in Heaven. May our Heavenly Father hold all of us in his loving arms at this time of need. You will always be in our hearts. Rest in Peace Baby Girl.

I love you.

Tyler Dixon

I have so many great memories with Leah. Leah, Jennie and Amber used to call me "Dylan" because they thought I looked like a mini version of Dylan from 90210. I think Leah called me Dylan until I was 14 or 15.

I remember one time when we were at the beach (I think it was Del Mar), when Leah, her friend Katie, Amy, Ally, Brad and I all "slept" in the front room listening to Leah crack jokes all night while our sides were splitting. She kept quoting a line from the movie Patch Adams: "Who, Who, Who Fawted?? Beanie!!" Leah finally fell asleep, and we thought it was pretty funny that she slept with her eyes half-open. Ally and I waved and made funny faces at her to see if she could see us. That was one of the funnest and most memorable nights of my life.

Leah lived with us in Utah over a few different summers. I honestly don't think that she was ever not smiling or trying to make us boys laugh. She would always take me and Brad to get frosty's or McDonalds. I remember once, nobody was home except for Leah and I. I'm not sure where everyone else was, but Leah planned an entire "date night" with me that night. We went to Hollywood Video to get a couple movies and got a Little Caesars Pizza on the way back. The first movie was a made-for-TV Disney about an old man trying to drive across the country on a tractor. It was Leah's choice - she always had a special innocent side to her, and wanted a movie that would make her feel "warm and fuzzy." I'm pretty sure I rolled my eyes at the video store when she picked it, but it was actually pretty good. I picked "The Sixth-Sense" (My parents wouldn't have let me get it, but I knew Leah would!). After the Disney movie, she put in The Sixth-Sense, and even though she was 4 years older than me, she made sure I knew that, once the movie started, I would have to be the brave one and not get scared. She held onto my arm under a blanket most of the time. Honestly, I was the scared one, but Leah made sure I felt special on our "date night." It was all about me. She didn't care that she was spending a Saturday night with her little cousin and not with friends. I can't tell you just how cool I felt. That's just how Leah was, always trying to make sure that everyone else was happy.

One time at Church, Leah was sitting next to me, and during sacrament she whispered in my ear that she thought one of the boys in the priests quorum, passing the sacrament, was really cute. And something about the one next to him being really ugly. Whatever she said, it made me bust up laughing. I tried to suppress it, but it didn't really work. My dad flicked me on the shoulder and gave me a good stare-down, and Leah felt so bad. After sacrament meeting she gave me a hug in the foyer and profusely apologized, and promised to buy me a frosty the next day. Right then, the "ugly" priest walked passed us both and smiled at Leah. Of course, Leah smiled and waved and said "hi," but as soon as he looked away, we almost fell on the floor laughing again. We had to go outside and laugh it off. After church, she told me that by the time we came back in and she went into her classroom, the only chair available was next to the "ugly" guy. During class, she said that he burped or something, so she had to excuse herself and hid in the bathroom for the rest of Sunday School. I swear, I couldn't stop laughing any time I was around Leah.

Her smile and her happy demeanor were so infectious, I couldn't help but be happy whenever she was around. We will sorely miss Leah, but I am grateful for the knowledge that I can and will see her again. I'm sure she'll have me laughing within minutes. I love her dearly.

Azurdee Jenson

In my mind, it's permanently etched - meeting Leah for the first time (I was so nervous to meet her and wanted her to like us so badly!) I remember she had on black capri, baggy pants that she continued to wear before and after her pregnancy. She would tease that those were the only pants she wore). We ate dinner at your house that night. I remember Brian came over and I believe we met Caleb and Olivia that night. Caleb had some kind of brace or cast on his foot at that time. From the minute I met her, I loved her. If I could have, I would have followed her all around the house and everywhere she went!:)

It was always the case with Leah - that I wanted to be around her as much as possible when she was around. I felt such a connection with her and such deep, deep gratitude for her that I appreciated any time I had to see her. She was easy-going, laid back, and just fun to be around. I loved that people said we looked like sisters and thought that was such a compliment. As we were looking at pictures of Leah the other night with Bristol, he pointed at them and said, "Mama!" (He doesn't yet realize who Leah is in his life.) He thought he was looking at pictures of me!:)

I distinctly remember seeing her just after she delivered Bristol. We were anxiously waiting for her in her hospital room when they rolled her in. She had all of her makeup on (I remember her saying that you told her to wear her makeup that day).:) She had on her hospital cap. She was smiling and just looked beautiful. I remember telling her how beautiful she looked and she just smiled. I checked on her many times over the next few days. We both took turns feeding Bristol and changing his diapers. When she was done with her turn, she would text me and say, "Bristol is free to be loved." I remember the day she checked out of the hospital and the day she signed her rights away. She handed me Bristol's paperwork in an envelope she had decorated with hearts and cute lettering. She handed me the hospital bag provided by the hospital and everything else to do with Bristol. As we met at LDS Family Services for the signing, I felt such joy at having Bristol and such sadness for the pain I saw in Leah's eyes, and for her tears.

After we went back to Arizona, Leah and I continued to communicate a lot through text. After a while, it slowly tapered off. I always just wanted to be a good friend to her/almost like a sister and be a good influence in her life.

Leah has been a huge part of our life. Not only did she give us our son, but she is also a part of him! How can I not have a deep love and gratitude for someone who played such a HUGE role in my life?!! There is a special, different bond between a birth mother and an adoptive mother. There is no one else who can ever say they are the mother to Bristol....except Leah. She was always so respectful of that relationship and made it such a joy to share the title of "mother" to Bristol. My love for her is hard to explain.....it is a bond and a love that will never go away and stays with me every time I look at Bristol, see him walk like her, see his beautiful eyes, and hug him so close and so tight....because I cannot believe what a blessing he is and because I am so thankful for the beautiful angel who gave him to us...forever changing our lives now and forever.

We love Leah!!!

Michelle Wolber

It just doesn't seem real. She was a good friend and a wonderful mother. She will truly be missed. It wasn't that long ago that we were all hanging out, laughing, and having a good time like young people are supposed to do. Whenever I was having problems, she was there. Whenever I was just bored and wanted someone to talk to, she was there. When she got into that horrible car accident a few years ago on Thanksgiving and it put her in critical condition, Carrie and I never left her side. Leah had problems like everyone else. She wasn't perfect but, she was a perfect friend. I love you Leah. We will miss you so much. R.I.P.

Nicole Lovelock

I was very close to Leah during high school and have only great memories of her. I hadn't spoken to Leah since we graduated, but my best high school memories include her. Our freshman year, we were obsessed with dressing like we were in the movie Clueless and we wore the most ridiculous outfits to school.

My thoughts and prayers are with your family.

Michaelanne Marshall

I starting having my hair cut with Leah when my twins were very young. I started seeing Leah through our old neighbor & friend, Jennie,and saw her for a few years. Leah was so considerate and caring, she offered to do my hair at my house (when my twins were little), to make it easier on me. She was always so cheerful and pleasant, and very easy to talk to. I will always remember how accomodating she was and her kindness. Thank you so much, Leah!