Tender Hearts

A dear friend in our ward passed away on Friday.  She had an aneurism and swelling on the brain.  She woke up Friday morning with a headache and numbness.  Her parents gave her pain medication and told her to lay down.  Her mom went to run errands.  She went to the bathroom.  She had a stroke and went into a coma.  Her dad broke into the bathroom to get her when she didn't answer him.  They called 911, the hospital tried to relieve the swelling and bring her out of the coma, but she never came out of it.  She passed away that night.  It was incredibly unexpected and another heartbreaking death for all who knew her.

I realize after writing all of that how incredibly heartless and factual and empty it sounds.  It doesn't do justice

So in the midst of all of it, I decided I need to do better about documenting the small things, not letting life pass by and having a record of the moments that make us smile and during which our lives are changing in the process of this journey.

The other day, I was making something in the kitchen.  I must have dropped something or something because I suddenly heard Isaac let out a sigh of disgust and say, "My Atlanta! Ugh!" I turned to see him shaking his head in disgust before walking away.  Careful the things you say!  Children will listen. And learn.

The other night before family prayer, we were reading the scriptures and trying to put the stories in context for the kids.  Suddenly Isaac got really serious and climbed on my lap and said, "But, Mommy! Where the scriptures come from?"  I said, "What?"  And he repeated it.  He really wanted to know where the scriptures had come from.  And we had a talk about prophets and how Heavenly Father teaches us.  Is he really two?

We made dinner and cookies for the Mohun family (it's their daughter Chloe who passed away suddenly).  I decided to make peanut blossom cookies because we had some Hershey Kisses from Easter Candy sales in our freezer.  I got the twins to help me by having them unwrap all the chocolates.  But I explained to them that they couldn't eat the chocolate because we were taking it to Chloe's family because they were sad that Chloe had gone to live with Heavenly Father for a while.  Off we went on our cookie-making journey.  Suddenly, I heard Abby say, "No, ISAAC! No eat the chocolate - it for family!" And I glanced over my shoulder to see Isaac popping a chocolate in his mouth and Abby very lovingly unwrapping the one in her hand.  I told him that Abby was right and reminded him that we were making cookies to serve them a little and show them we love them.  Then I told Abby she could go ahead and eat a chocolate, too.  She said, "No thank you, Mommy!  It for Chloe family - I no need it."  Be still my heart!

And last but not least, our nine-month-old Brianna has taken her FIRST steps and throws a fit if I don't give her a sippy cup just like Abby and Isaac have.  She is so big and such a joy in our family every day.  She watches everything they do and imitates it as much as her little body allows her to.  And I am sure in her mind, she is already up and running right along with them, wherever they go.  Already the thinks they are playing tag when she is crawling down the hallway and they come running towards her!  She giggles and turns as fast as she can and starts crawling away from them, them passing her up almost before she even gets turned around and moving again.  And about that time, they've turned around and are heading back her direction -- repeat the giggles of delight and fast turn around to "run" away from them!  It really is so much fun just watching and listening to them as they are starting to learn they can play with her and discovering the joy of making her laugh, without really realizing what they are doing that is causing it!