THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

Today we got some very bad news and we also got some very good news.

Our bad news is that we have lost a dear aunt on Preston's side of the family. The girls and I have taken this esp hard as we were close to her and have had a special bond with this sweet aunt since she joined the Bentley/Baxter family.

Our good news is that we have gained a new family member in the birth of my new neice! Since my brother & his family live far away we are anxiously waiting to see picts of her (which I will be sure to post as soon as we get them) and we are even more looking forward to knowing they will be coming to spend lots of time with us next month.

On this special Thanksgiving Eve the girls and I thought that blogging our thoughts and feelings would help the girls through their grieving process and help us remember all the wonderful things we loved about Aunt Serena. It would also help us to share all the things we are thankful for in knowing this wonderful woman as well as all the things we look forward to in knowing our new neice/cousin.

Here is our list:

1) We are thankful for our knowledge of the gospel and the ressurection and that we know that we will be able to see and be with Aunt Serena again (Kaeli)

2) I am thankful for all of the fun things I had in common with Aunt Serena. We liked alot of the same things (school, horses, favorite foods) and always enjoyed talking and sharing about all the things we both enjoyed. I esp enjoyed all the time we would spend together talking and laughing at all the Bentley family reunions. (ceana)

3) We are thankful to have a new cousin to share things with and do things for. It will be fun to watch her grow and help her learn lots of new things. It will be fun to watch as she grows and develops her own gifts and talents ( our other neice is already a wiz in many areas - which is amazing since she is only FOUR!) (kaeli)

4) We are thankful that Uncle Sean, Aunt Rayna & the girls will be able to come and stay a long time with us (anything longer than overnight is a long time). We are excited to see our new cousin and hopefully we will get the chance to have Rani get to stay extra long with us while Uncle Sean & Aunt Rayna have some special time with just them and the baby. (ceana)

5) I didnt know Aunt Serena very well. I was younger and didnt understand when everyone was sad when we lost our great-grandparents this same time of year. I am now old enough to understand loss and feel grief over the loss of a family member as well as sadness and empathy for other family members who are also grieving who did know Aunt Serena better than I did. (kaeli)

6) I am thankful for the plan of salvation. I am thankful for the knowledge that Heavenly Father has a plan for everything and everyone. That there is a reason for Aunt Serena to go home to Him now. Even though I am sad I can find happiness in this knowledge. (ceana)

7) I am thankful that Aunt Serena chose to come to this Earth. I am thankful that she was part of our family. (Kaeli)

8) I am thankful that I have been able to keep in touch with Aunt Serena through email. One of my favorite things about emailing with her was that we would send "I love you's" back and forth to each other just because. (ceana)

9) I wish that we didnt live so far away and that the funeral wasnt so soon. I would really like to be able to be there to be with the family and to tell Uncle Dick how sorry I am that Aunt Serena is not here anymore and to tell him how much I loved her and how much I am going to miss her. (ceana)

10) I loved that Aunt Serena "adopted" me and she and Uncle Dick were my other set of grandparents. They always greeted me with hugs and smiles and that was always very special to me and it will always be a special memory of the way Aunt Serena always was - full of sunshine, smiles and hugs (ceana/rory)

I think this has been a very helpful thing for the girls. At the end of our list I find the girls smiling and laughing about the good thoughts and memories. I am sure there will be more tears in the coming days, but it is nice to know that this has been helpful to them (and to me) as they have processed both the happy and the sad news they have received today.

What a wonderful blessing blogging has become to our family - it has given us the gift and ability to pour out our hearts, thoughts, and feelings and to be able to record those things for ourselves and to share with others. Our journaling has been more productive and enjoyable than ever before in our lives. Technology is a true gift to be thankful for.