A Tradition I Could Live Without

We have a tradition in our family.

One that we really don't like.

It started on April 13, 2006. That was the day that our oldest son Christopher James turned 14. It was also the day that James Warburton died. I remember us all sitting around our dining room table, each taking a turn on the phone telling Grandad goodbye. I remember how sad Chris was on his birthday. He was named after his grandad. We were blessed to have taken a trip out to Utah in March to see him before he got too sick. We had fun playing in the snow, building a snowman, and just visiting with a good man who knew he was dying. We are so grateful that we had that time with him.

April 17, 2009 was the day that Kinsey turned 14. My sister died on Kinsey's birthday. Kinsey was very close to her Aunt Lori. I remember gathering as a family that day telling our children that she had died. We talked about how we had prayed for her to be healed and tried to reassure them that Heavenly Father answers prayers but that this time His answer was that it was her time to die. We all sat around and cried for a few minutes and then sent Kinsey to a birthday party planned by her friends for her. Again we were blessed. We had been able to travel to Florida for Christmas. We spent two weeks laughing, singing, playing, camping, and visiting with a brave woman who knew she was dying. We have such great memories of that trip.

October 11, 2010 is the day that Jared turns 14. I'm kind of worried for that day. Call me superstitious but our track record isn't good so far. I'm really hoping we can change that tradition this year.

If we don't though, we are still so very blessed. We know we are an eternal family. We believe that we will see them again. So for now, I will look forward to a happy reunion with my eternal family someday.

I will also be praying that everyone will survive Jared's 14th birthday. Please?!