7 important dates

So, I'm following Julie on this...and posting for my second time today! I guess it beats laying around, which I've done all day because you guessed it...we're sick....again.

"This week’s question asks you to choose up to seven dates (including years or not) that stand out to you for whatever reason. (And please give the reason if you’re willing.)"

December 20th - For several reasons. One, it's my birthday...and even though I've no clue who my father is, I know I was meant to be here and have a purpose. Secondly, I was baptized and confirmed a member of the church on this day, on my 13th birthday! It was incredible and it was my day only, I didn't have to share it with anyone else. My sister gave the most wonderful talk on the Holy Ghost. I remembered seeing a halo above her head during it and thought she was beautiful.

July 19th, 1997 - This was the day when I received my endowments and got married to my sweetheart! We did everything on one day to keep things easier. Before hand I was so nervous and rushing around, and was late for my own endowment/wedding. Jon was pacing in the foyer of the temple. He had rushed so he wouldn't be late and didn't even shave! What's funny about this is that the reason I was so late was because Susan (my escort and one of my favorite people in the world) had only shaved one leg the day before and was staying with me and took forever in the shower shaving the other leg. I think that Dave (Susan's husband and another one of my favorite people in the whole world) was going to kill me because he kept telling me to calm down because I was fidgeting so bad! Everything was so wonderful though. It was a beautiful day.

November 18th - This day, again has a lot of significance to me...Firstly, I started working for my doctors on that day 10 years ago now, and I love my job. Secondly, it was the day I had my first child. What a glorious day! Unfortunately, my labor experience left something to be desired on account of the amount of times I had to be poked, in all sorts of areas on my body, then the hours I spent pushing...only to have a c-section. One of the happiest days of my life.

August 20th - Alex was born. I was so happy. I was really worried that I was going to have to love one of my children less, but my heart just swelled enough for everyone.

March 7th - Samantha was born. She was so lovely. Right after her birth she stopped crying suddenly and the nurse about had an aneurysm...but she just stopped because she was content, and that's exactly how I felt...content. :)

March 22nd - While my sister didn't die on this day, it was the day she was in her accident. My heart broke that day. I had gotten in a fight with her the day before and was staying at a friend's house. I knew something was wrong the next morning, I could feel it. It was unnerving, and my friend kept trying to reassure me, but I wasn't in the mood for reassuring. Then, I got a phone call from a family friend and I remember asking after hearing his voice, "Is she ok?" He didn't tell me anything other than he would pick me up soon and he didn't know. We drove to Eugene and I cried the whole way, I had hoped that she would recover. For four days Terry (her husband) and I sat by her side. I held her hand and sang to her and cried. At one point, she squeezed my hand and I thought she was going to wake up, the emotions that coursed through me then were like nothing I had ever felt. We called the nurse in and they checked her and there was still no brain activity...it was some sort of reflex. My heart wept when Terry, still holding onto hope, asked if we could switch sides so that he could feel her hand respond to his, he kept asking me exactly what I did before I felt her squeeze and he tried all of it to no avail...I sat helplessly watching him realize his beloved sweetheart wasn't going to wake up.

March 30th - My sister's funeral. It was so beautiful. The celebration of her life was amazing. The people she touched in her short 25 years was astounding. There were people there from everywhere! The chapel and overflow and gym were more packed than any zone conference or stake meeting ever! It was standing room only in the back, I believe. Terry worked for Coors at the time, but had also worked at Budwiser and it was comical to see the HUGE trucks in the parking lot (with their various advertisments) and along the road of the church! But she touched so many lives and those men wanted to pay their respect so they stopped in while on their routes. When we traveled to the grave, it was so beautiful. Just a little tiny place nestled deep in the country...if you didn't know where to go you would never find it (I would probably have a hard time finding it now) and its smaller than a football field, by half. Very intimate. Her grave stone was already in place I believe, Terry hand crafted it. He chisled and sand blasted the entire thing on his own, drew the flowers on it and then carefully placed the gold leaf...it is the most beautiful headstone there and the gold against the granite is striking. He layed the brick around the grave and stone just days afterwords and we set concrete on the side for pedestal plants and his hand print is on the right side and mine on the left. She was so special.


So, those are my seven dates...they stick out in my mind when they roll around each year.