It's December 2nd

It's December 2nd and we hung a cardinal on our advent calendar Christmas Tree. Because December 2nd is my sister Sierra's birthday.  She would be 27. For those who don't know, I have two sisters that both died of SIDS as infants (Cheyenne was the youngest in our family and would be turning 20).
In my family the cardinal represents Sierra and a bluebird is Cheyenne.  I really ought to have my mom explain to me sometime the specifics of this.

At any rate, the first memory I have is meeting my baby sister.  I was 2 and half. Daniel, my brother just younger than myself, and I had been with our Grandma Sunny and I remember her bringing us back to the apartment in Orem to meet our new sister.  I remember that my mom was holding her in a yellow quilt and just being a little curious and in love with this little red newborn.

She was only with us till the end of January. I don't remember anything else about my sister besides meeting her for the first time. Nor do I remember her funeral, but I do remember something my parents taught us as a result.  That death is not the end of our family.  Sierra is still my sister. She always will be. I cherish this testimony and I know from countless confirmations by the Holy Spirit that it's true.

I can't imagine what my parents felt burying their second and then their third daughter. I'd rather not. But I do know, because they have told me, that their grief is not bitter. They know that God sees the bigger plan and that He is aware of them, of each of us.  And loves us eternally.  That's why He gave His Son (John 3:15). To make a sacrifice for our sins so that we will never be eternally lost to Him. Hallelujah for Christmas, and double hallelujah for Easter!

I love this time of year, to celebrate the miraculous birth of the Savior, and to try and emulate Him and our Eternal Father by giving of ourselves to those around us.

But I especially love Easter, to celebrate the sacrifice of Christ and His equally miraculous and majestic resurrection that brought with it the promise that this life is not the end. It is not the end of our lives or our progress, nor does it need to be the end of the sacred relationships found in families.

Because, let's be honest, I could never get enough of this!

 Or this! (Oh man, can you imagine when the seven of us all get together someday? What a riot that will be!)

Or these wonder, wonderful folks!
Or the splendid family I married into (of which I cannot find a decent picture at the moment, but you are all quite dear to me).
That's all.