I know I posted below about all the fun/goofy things our family did to celebrate Easter but I wanted to do a quick post on what we were really celebrating as a family on Easter. Ever since we lost our Hayley three years ago Easter has been a very special holiday in our home. Loosing her was the hardest thing our little family has ever been through, yet at the same time one of the most incredible experiences too. I remember my very first Easter after we lost her feeling such a peace. I felt a closeness to her that I didn't regularly feel. The slow thinker that I am couldn't figure out why. As I thought more about it the spirit bore witness to me that I am closer to her because of what we celebrate on Easter. I know that through Christ we will all live again. He makes it possible for our family to be reunited with Hayley some day and be together forever. The fact that our family will be together again and for all time is something to celebrate and never take for granted. We know our Savior lives and we are grateful for the intimate role he plays in our family. We love Him and are so grateful to have a day to celebrate Him.Monday, March 24, 2008
The real celebration
I know I posted below about all the fun/goofy things our family did to celebrate Easter but I wanted to do a quick post on what we were really celebrating as a family on Easter. Ever since we lost our Hayley three years ago Easter has been a very special holiday in our home. Loosing her was the hardest thing our little family has ever been through, yet at the same time one of the most incredible experiences too. I remember my very first Easter after we lost her feeling such a peace. I felt a closeness to her that I didn't regularly feel. The slow thinker that I am couldn't figure out why. As I thought more about it the spirit bore witness to me that I am closer to her because of what we celebrate on Easter. I know that through Christ we will all live again. He makes it possible for our family to be reunited with Hayley some day and be together forever. The fact that our family will be together again and for all time is something to celebrate and never take for granted. We know our Savior lives and we are grateful for the intimate role he plays in our family. We love Him and are so grateful to have a day to celebrate Him.
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17 comments:
Jen, she is so adorable. I have never seen a picture of Hayley. What a great blessing to know you will be together again. You totally made me cry. Thanks for sharing.
Amen to all you said. I have also never seen a picture of Hayley and she he is precious. Aren't we so blessed to know that this life is not it, and someday you will get to see Hayley again?
Sometimes we have to walk through the valleys of despair to realize that only with Him can we reach the peak of our eternal lives.
I'm glad that Hayley was able to touch your lives the way she did! I'm sure she is crying, smiling and laughing with you silly guys every time!
so special! Very well put too. Thanks for the reminder of the true meaning of Easter.
Thank you for sharing! She is beautiful and what a special time to connect with her and reflect on the Savior.
I love you, Jenn. I love everything about you.
what an amazing, special blessing you've been able to receive through your trials. my thoughts are with you.
Jenn, thanks for posting this. At the time this all happened, is right after I had just moved to Portland. Will and I were dating, and Hayley's funeral was the first time I got to meet both Will's family and your's. I didn't understand how you were feeling and what you were going through at the time. Now that I am expecting my first baby and have often thought that I am never "in the clear" until he is born healthy and alive, I now in a small way can empathize with how you felt as a mother.
That whole even was also extremely spiritual for me. I got to see Will and Luke bond together and spend a lot of brother time together which was so touching for me.
A year later, Sandy, Tessha, Will, and I went and visited Hayley's grave and all three of us girls were bawling our eyes out. Nothing was ever said. We just walked around and looked at all of the little baby's graves and were all just extremely touched by them.
We love you!
She was so beautiful! My mom lost my little sister and she wishes that she would have taken a picture. How awesome is it to know that you will see and hold her again? Thanks for sharing with all of us! We love you guys! Now I have to go and blow my nose from crying!
I think about your experience a lot, my heart broke for you! Then, just last January my brother Kevin and his wife Erin experienced the same thing. I was pregnant with Paige, and here they were having to bury their 7lb 8oz. baby girl!
I know that loosing Hayley was not easy-but I have seen how the gospel and the comforter can blesses lives and strengthens you in a way that only those who have lost can truly understand. You have attained a gift not easily obtained in this life; you possess a wisdom tempered by grief and sorrow, and it deepens your souls like few other things in life can.
Well said, Jenn. Sometimes I think Evan gets it even better than I do. Out of the blue the other day he commented that Michael and I feel sad about Dallin dying. He said, "but I don't feel very sad because we will see him again, in heaven." The faith and lessons of a child. The resurrection is a glorious thing and I can't wait to be a part of it...for our family to reunite with Dallin and your family to reunite with Hayley. Those two kids are going to get a WHOLE LOT of loves that we've missed out on giving them all this time!
I left a comment but somehow it wasn't saved. Email me so I have your email. Meliss
Hayley is so beautiful. How inspired you are to have shared this with everyone. No suprise that I sat there crying reading your post. What a wonderful reminder of all we have been blessed with.
Dear Luke and Jenn,
You blog does say what Easter is all about. I have often wondered if I should send a card on Heather's birthday or not. I want to send one just to tell you guys that she is often in my thoughts. I always count her when I count my grandkids because I KNOW that she is one of them.
Love,
Dad
Just want you to know that we talk about Hayley often in our home. In fact, just on Easter as we talked about resurrection one of the kids mentioned "just like aunt jenn's baby". Thanks for sharing her picture with us. Precious.
Jenn, you are an amazing person! I'm so glad to know you. You are funny and extremely strong. Thanks for posting the picture of Hayley. She is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feelings about Easter too. I will always think of Hayley at Easter time now. Amazing how she lives on, teaching all of us about the love our Savior has for all of us.
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