a note from Mom

I have noticed that people are still checking Mom's block regularly, and so I thought I would make one final post today. My dad has compiled a book full of cards, letters, and nice messages people have sent to our family. In looking at all of these today, I found something that was very special that I wanted to share. For those of you who don't know, Mom was in the Relief Society Presidency at her church right before her diagnosis. She was responsible for writing a presidency message every third month, and she wrote her last one in March of 2007, about a month before she was diagnosed. Someone at church had saved it and mailed it to my dad a few weeks back. When I read it, it really meant a lot to me in so many ways and I thought that it could bring some comfort to all of us who are missing her so badly right now. Here is what she said:

"This morning I sat at the breakfast table and looked out the window into the backyard. There were all the beautiful trees with the new green leaves popping out, and with the buds that promised beautiful flowers in a very short time. The work I had done last fall to plant tulip bulbs was starting to show up, with the green shoots coming up out of the soil in the plantar boxes. As I looked at all the new growth around me, I was uplifted and joyful to see all the reminders that our Heavenly Father gives us each year, that all is well.

Each year spring returns, and with it the promises that our Heavenly Father makes to each of us. Spring is a season of promise, a season of hope and happiness. It is a time when we leave behind the ruts and darkness of winter, and invite our spirits to rejoice in the promise of new life that our Father in Heaven reminds us of each year. Elder Richard L. Evans once gave us the assurance, "Spring returned this year. We knew it would, and it did."

May each of you have the joy of knowing that no matter what you face in your life, God reminds us often, that spring will return.

Love Gail"

I plan to leave this blog up for a long, long time to come. I hope that, days, months, or even years later, if you have a memory of Mom to share, that you will please leave a comment here. It is always so wonderful to read and learn more about the wonderful woman that she was.