The holiday season always started out with celebrating Rachel's birthday on the 22nd. Even though she isn't here with us to celebrate it with us, we keep the tradition alive! This year marked the second anniversary of Rachel's "graduation", as well as the second birthday we've celebrated without her. On her "graduation" day, December 1st, Davis County experienced a wind storm with hurricane force winds that damaged much of the county, and kept us inside all day. We weren't able to get together as a family to mark that day, or leave anything at the cemetery. Partly because of that, Grandma Candy wanted to do something special for Rachel's birthday.
Grandma Candy got a balloon for each of us, and we spent a few minutes and wrote a personal message to Rachel to attach to our balloon. We went to the cemetery and gathered around Rachel's headstone. After Grandma Candy said a few words, we let go of our balloons and watched them float away.
It was a neat thing to do. It gave me the opportunity to explain more about the Plan of Salvation to my kids. I think that's my favorite part about being able to visit Rachel's Place. My girls thought that Rachel was going to come and get all the balloons and messages that we sent. I was able to explain that because Rachel didn't have her body right now, she wouldn't be able to do that. But that I was sure she was going to know that we sent her our love, and she could watch how pretty the balloons looked as they floated toward the beautiful winter mountains. Even for how young they are, they seemed to understand that we lose our bodies, temporarily, when we die. And that because Jesus loves us so much, we're able to get them back and be with our families forever. I am so grateful for the gospel! How else would I be able to explain something like that to my little girls?
At any rate, the kids had a good time looking at the other decorations on other headstones, and enjoying the fresh air. The fresh, frigid air!
After we were done at the cemetery, we all gathered back at Grandma Candy's house for Rachel's birthday dinner of beans and chili, with fried chicken strips and fresh tortillas. Delicious! The girls (Isabelle, Claire, and Sophie) really wanted to do a birthday cake for Aunt Rachel, so Grandma Candy helped them get one decorated and ready with 19 candles.
We sang "Happy Birthday" and the kids all helped blow out the candles. I don't know how many more years we'll do all this for Rachel's birthday. But I do enjoy the opportunity to feel like she's a little less gone. I like being able to talk to my kids about my little sister, and the comforting doctrines of the Restored Gospel.
Happy 19th Birthday, Rachel-babes! We love you!
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