Yesterday was good.

Yesterday was a good day. It started out a little sad ( it was Julia's Birthday, she would have been 10 years old) but I ended up having some very sweet moments with the other three.

It actually started with family prayers Monday night, It was Missy's turn and she asked Heavenly Father to tell Julia that we love her and miss her and help us make her birthday special even if we cant spend it with her...I could barely keep my self from crying.

Timmy was the first to get up and came right in to me gave me a hug and simply told me he missed her too. He always thinks of others feelings and I love that about him.

Melissa who has been very aware of her sister and her absence Missy's entire life was the one who pressed to make her a birthday card and go through "Julia's Box" ( a small box of keepsakes like her blanket and the tiny nightgown she wore in the hospital). Her card was very sweet. It included a picture of Missy and Julia holding hands and dressed in matching dresses. on the inside she wrote a very sweet letter.

All of this I expected but Zac was the surprise.

He was sitting on my lap much later that afternoon and he stated that it was his birthday today and I replied that no it was Julia's birthday he had already had his in June... He then said yes it was Julia's birthday. I thought about it and I knew he has heard us talking about her and I wondered how much he actually understood. I asked him if he knew who Julia is... he replied very matteroffactly that "Yes, she is our sister." so I probed some more asking where she was, he answered in the same very certain way "She is in heaven because she died." I asked what else he knew about Julia and he said " She looks like Melissa and I love her" He jumped down and then went on his way as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Even now ten years later Julia is teaching us. I hope it will always be this way...not dwelling on the sadness of loosing her but focusing on the fact the we are an eternal family and will be with her again.