Happy birthday Caleb. Thanks to all those who helped make it a BIG day for him.
It was great to be with family for Thanksgiving and instead of fighting crowds on Black Friday, we opted for the solitude of the mountains where we found a Christmas tree and a little hill for sledding.
Although I was expecting and hoping for a complete recovery and to see her grow, my niece Lucy accomplished and finished her mortal experience. Lucy was given parents who are ‘kind and dear’; parents who led her, guided her, and walked beside her through the joys and difficulties of her life. Their faith and trust is contagious. Lucy’s passing has enhanced the contrast of my emotions; where my heart has felt heavier, the joys that come through a knowledge of God and Christ’s atonement have been sweeter, the spirit that is conveyed through music and a kind word is more tangible, and the word of God has more meaning. I wonder if this is part of the process of becoming perfected and becoming even as He is. Lucy, we love you and can’t wait to see you again. Until then, I guess we have a few more things to finish. We will “press forward, trusting to the protection of a kind Providence” (Julia Ann Babbitt, 1857).
