Today....

Is always a weird day for me- the whole month of December I think about my entire family; but today I think about my sister, Melian. This year Mikayla has really become aware of the reality that Mommy has a sister that she hasn't met yet. She has been wrapping her head around it for a few months now. For the past few weeks she has asked me to show pictures and tell stories.... It's been a great opportunity to share with her - things about Melian as well as the Plan of Salvation and explaining that, yes, she WILL see my sister and get to meet her and be friends with her! Mikayla's excited. I am too.

Knowing about Melian helps Mikayla appreciate Rowan more. (Some days she needs all the help she can get!)

I've watched my coworker struggle the past few months. She is young, not even twenty. Both of her parents in the last year have been diagnosed with cancer. Her mother has won her battle, for now, but her father has not. She called me today to ask if I could take over some of her work so that she can spend more time with him. His lung cancer has spread and he now has five tumors in his brain that are growing rapidly. I cannot imagine loss like this. The family is already planning for his death. My heart aches for her and her family. In the realm of the professional world I feel like I can't explain enough. I'm bound by some unwritten code to only answer questions people ask me. (Don't worry I've done my best to share!) Watching her struggle has made me incredibly grateful for the knowledge I have. I wish I could give her that. Knowing that we can see people again after we die does not take away the pain of loss but it does make it bearable. Again, I wish I could give her the comfort and peace I have been given.

So, back to today. Weird day. Good day. Makes me really appreciate my family day.