My 2011 Christmas Gift to Lily

Dear Lily,

I am so glad your family invited us to join them in giving gifts to you this year.  These are gifts from the heart, and I searched mine to discover what it was that you would want me to do for you this Christmas.  I thought that one thing you would want me to do was to follow the promptings of the Spirit, no matter how silly or illogical the prompting seemed to be.  As you know, we got a cute little puppy this past summer, and we named her Jesse.  She has brought our whole family so much happiness and joy, and every time I think about how much this sweet little soul has brought to our family, I immediately have the thought that I should thank her “birth parents”—the family that we bought her from.  I have had this thought—or prompting—many times over the past 6 months, and so my gift to you this year is to act on that prompting.  I bought a box of oranges and a bag of doggie treats and toys, wrote a card of gratitude and included the above picture and delivered it to Jesse’s pre-family (before she became ours).  I was a little nervous to take it to them because I thought they would think I was a little strange, but it turned out to be such a great experience.  We had a wonderful visit, and the kids were excited to see a picture of Jesse.  I wanted them to know that when she left their loving home, she came to a home that was just as loving and that we adored her.  When I left their home, I had a big smile on my face.  It turned out to be one the most fun things I did for Christmas this year!

We love and miss you Lily!

Love,

Your Aunt Karen

The Best of Friends

Dear Jody,

My daughter called me at work today with laughter in her voice.  You had just dropped off this GORGEOUS platter that you hand made for me (thank you, dear friend...I love it!) and the saying on it gave Ashley such a chuckle that she had to call me right then and there to share it.  I thought it fitting that you chose this saying...and not just because I currently work with **ahem** mature residents of an assisted living facility.  But because shortly after the phone call, I witnessed a perfect example of the kind of friends you and I are to each other.  This is what I saw: Willma with her walker pulling Alice choo-choo style behind her and guiding her back to her room.  Both women had huge smiles on their faces and you could tell that they truly cared and looked out for one another.  You are that kind of friend to me...guiding me and laughing with me along the way.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

With love,
me

A New Tradition

Kim and Spencer have invited the extended family to join them in a new Christmas tradition in honor of their daughter, Lily:

Dear Family:

We have been trying to think of something we can do to keep Lily in our Christmas. Everywhere we've been, we've wanted to get her a gift, which seems pointless. So we finally decided what we wanted to do as a family last night.

We decided that we would give her a gift. After thinking about it we thought that the best gift we could give Lily is what she would want from us right now. So each of us thought about what we thought Lily would most want from us.

As an example, I determined that what Lily would want most from me is to go to the temple more often. That is where I will be doing the Lords work and can feel closest to her. Which is what I think she would want most from me. 

Each of us wrote Lily a letter with our gift on it and put it in her stocking. I told the kids that it was important that they followed through with this gift because she will know.

We decided to let Lily spread her wings and do the work she is meant to do for us all still on the earth. We decided to open it up to her extended family who she also loves and wants to be with forever.

If you would like to join us. You can do the same, by thinking of the gift you think Lily would want most from you. Write her a note and either come put it in her stocking, or mail it and I will put it in for you. I will be putting these in a book for each year, so if you don't want it read just seal it up and that is how it will go in the book.

Will you tell your kids and let them decide if they want to do it also.

Thank you, and we love you all,

The Mordue's

I am really excited to think of something special that I can do as my gift for Lily.  I know that a lot of people have already been touched and have had their lives changed in the name of doing something for Lily.  A friend of Kim's put up a pink Christmas Tree on Lily's grave.  Aunts and Uncles went in on a beautiful Christmas tree from Kneaders for Spencer's family.  They all met and set it up while Spencer and Kim and their boys were in Arizona for Thanksgiving.  Other friends helped decorate the house for Christmas, so that the family could come home to a house all ready for the Christmas season.  The manager from Kneaders was so moved by this outpouring of love for this family that she wanted to do something special also, and she joined in the decorating and donated a lot of beautiful Christmas decorations for the banisters and fireplace mantel.  I love that Lily will always be a part of our Christmas celebrations through our yearly gift that we give her.