We started on Saturday with a trip to the Jordan River Temple. We decided that we need to go to the temple every year as a family. We were joined by Melissa's family as we attended the temple and took time to feel closer to heaven. While waiting in the chapel, the organist started playing Families Can Be Together Forever and I felt a big stirring of emotions that I hadn't felt in a while. I began feeling closer to Ethne, while at the same time missing her so deeply because she felt so far away. As we continued through the session, it seemed undeniable that she was there with us. I also felt that there were other family members and ancestors in attendance with us. One of those was my granddad who passed away earlier this year. Granddad is also a WWII vet and has been on my thoughts quite a bit today as well.
We took some time in the Celestial room after the session and I took some time to meditate and reminisce about Ethne and the many things I have learned since Ethne has died, and also the memories that she left behind.
After the session we got a call from my parents who had gone to the Rexburg Temple the same night. The felt inspired to go to do a sealing session. When the got up to the sealing room they discovered that the sealer officiating that night was Karl Edwards, the identical twin brother of Melissa's grandfather. They told Bro. Edwards that they were there to celebrate Ethne's birthday. During the session he asked if he could tell the other couples why they were there. He told about Ethne's passing and how important it is for us to go to the temple and have an eternal family so that we can be reunited. My mom also pointed out that Uncle Karl was officiating that night, and that when Melissa and I had gotten married it was his identical twin brother--Melissa's grandfather--that had sealed us in the first place. (Side note: although that day is a blur, if I remember right, Uncle Karl was also the one who helped me give Edward a blessing when we arrived at the hospital after the accident). 
Today, the 11th, I had to be to work by noon and we had things that we wanted to do to celebrate before I did. We went to the store and picked up some balloons and took them to the cemetery to release. We also asked Mr. E to pick out some flowers and a stuffed animal. After not picking either I picked a flower he had motioned to at one point and went to check out. While checking out, he picked up another flower and brought it to me as well. We got both of them and a stuffed cat that said "Happy Birthday" on it. We went out to Ethne, tied one ballon to a decoration and we each released another balloon. We then all sat down and had a family prayer.
We grabbed some lunch on the way home where we opened up the memory chest my our family gave to us at Christmas to go through some things that we have held onto to remind us of Ethne. Mostly clothes and a few toys, and an unplayable DVD of Robots that she once wanted to watch so badly she tried to shove it on the DVD player while another DVD was in it already. Doing so scratched it so badly that it could never be watched again.
These are the types of things we plan on doing every year on Nov. 11th. Not only a day when we remember the brave veterans who defend the cause of liberty and freedom, but a day that we celebrate our eternal family.
1 comment:
We are so grateful we could and can be a little part of Ethne's and your life. :)
Post a Comment