Moments of Gratitude

2, 102, 400 minutes. That is how many minutes are in 4 years. That is how many minutes that I have been grateful for the additional time with my dad.

Four years ago today we gave him over to our Father in Heaven, letting His will be done. I will always always ALWAYS be grateful that He spared my dad, but even if He didn't, I would still be grateful. Because just as God has kept healing my heart since that time WITHOUT taking away my dad's life, I know God would keep healing my heart if He had.

My sister and I were talking the other day about how this experience changed us. Our different filters of perspective pushed us to deal with this experience in different ways. I was affected in my return missionary-finishing college way. Kelsey was experiencing it as a missionary-on-the-other-side-of-the-world way. Devin was experiencing it as guy-with-a-job-and-family way. Brittni as a mom-and-pregnant-with-another way. Jamiin as a mother-who-is-healing way. And my Mom...his wife...in a -watching-her-sweetheart-and-protector-struggle way. We all experienced different things, but we were all bound by one thing: love and trust in the Savior.

4 years have gone by and all of us have continued to live our lives. If someone told me during this trial that I would one day move across the country with my family I wouldn't have believed it. How could I ever let go of being with my dad? How could I ever not be nearby if he ever took a turn for the worse? Through the enabling power of the Atonement, Christ healed my heart, took my hand and truly enabled me to walk forward to where I needed to be.

As I look back on all that we have passed through in these 4 years, I am just overwhelmingly filled with gratitude. God is so good, and I just wanted to share. :)

We love all of you and are grateful for helping us along this journey.

Love,
Aubs