Families Are Forever

My mom passed away one week ago.  She had been sick with lupus for years.  Her lungs were failing and she struggled for every breath she took.  She had been placed on hospice, so I suppose it really shouldn't have come as much of a surprise.  Still, on Saturday morning when my dad called to tell me the news, I fell apart.  I collapsed in Jared's arms and sobbed.  I guess I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. 

When my parents were first married they were told they would likely never be able to have children.  The funny thing about this story is that my mom was pregnant at the time the doctor told her, she just didn't know and neither did the doctor.  My mom had absolute faith that the doctor was wrong and prayed fervently to Heavenly Father.  She made a bargain with Him.  If He would bless her with children she would do anything.  She would endure any trial, she would face any hardship.  She didn't care what it was, she just wanted children to raise that would remain faithful in the LDS church.  Heavenly Father answered her prayer with five children that have all remained faithful in the LDS church. 

In the last few years as her health declined and she was bedridden, we would often ask her, “Don’t you hate being stuck in bed and being in pain all the time?”  She would always say, “I’m perfectly happy.  Heavenly Father gave me exactly what I wanted and I told him I would do anything for it and this is what I have to do for it.  So I’m going to be happy about it.”  And she was.  

The last few days I’ve been flooded with memories and thoughts.  I was thinking yesterday about what it was that made our family the way we are.  It was my mom.  She wanted us to love our family so she instilled in all of us a huge love of family from the time we were little.   That’s the way it was at our house.    Whether we were traveling in the car, watching movies or playing games, we were just happy to be together.  We teased each other, we laughed together and many times we have cried together.  But the point is, we were together and we were happy.   I think that’s why we all still love being together, because that’s what she gave us.  And really, what else do we need?  All those years ago, when mom prayed for a family this is what she wanted.  I will always be grateful to her for that and for the legacy she has left for all of us to follow.