You're Going To Miss This...: Eternal Families

Three Saturdays ago I came downstairs and picked up my cell phone. I had gotten a text the night before but didn't see it till that morning. The text was from my mom telling us that my Grandpa had a massive heart attack and was in ICU. I knew in the back of my mind that this would happen eventually. My Grandpa was in his late 80s, but in my mind he was still the way I remember him when I was younger, energetic and immortal. A few hours after getting the message, I was on a plane for California. I spent the next night with my mom and Grandma in ICU, praying for my Grandpa. Late the next day I picked up my brother, Clint, at the airport. Sunday night my sisters all showed up. As siblings we are always glad to get together and although we were happy to get together this time we did with a heavy heart. Monday evening, my Grandpa passed away surrounded by his wife, his daughter and four of his grandchildren 5 days before his 88th birthday. I think that this would have been impossible to go through without the knowledge of eternal families. I felt that knowledge so strongly as we gathered around my Grandpa's bedside while he passed into the spirt world. I wish I was eloquent enough to express how comforting it was to have the knowledge of the gospel.

Spending a week in California helped me reflect on the many things I am grateful for. I am especially grateful for my family, my wonderful husband who held down the fort with only 4 hours notice with the knowledge that I would be gone for who knows?. I am grateful for my amazing kids. I am grateful for my great parents and my awesome siblings. I loved the fact that although we were all heartbroken at the passing of my Grandpa, we were all able to enjoy each other and cry on each others shoulders.