grief

Yesterday, I was looking forward to my parents arrival (from Wisconsin) for an extended visit with Gregg and I and the kids. I spoke to them shortly before they left for the airport.  An hour after speaking to them,  I received a call from my aunt in Utah.  She  shared the devastating news that a beloved member of our extended family had died suddenly that morning of a heart attack.  He was a husband, and the father of two beautiful little boys.  My aunt was trying to locate my mom and dad.  I told her they would arrive in phoenix shortly, and that I would let them know what had happened.  
      Driving my parents from the airport to our home felt a little surreal to me.  I wanted to give them a moment to breathe and see our kids before having to do what was inevitable.  My heart was physically hurting.  I'd been on the other end of "that" call before, but never the one to have to deliver such heart wrenching news.  I said a silent prayer.  I said several more in the next forty-five minutes until the kids were in bed and we could talk privately. 
      There are countless things I don't know and don't understand.  But there is one thing I do know, and I think it matters more than everything else.  It is simply this.  God loves us.  God sent us to this earth to be part of a family.  And God did not intend for our families to end here.  Our spirits are too big and too loved to disappear.  I believe God put a plan in place. A perfect plan. I believe that through our Savior's love and His role in that plan,  we will all have an opportunity to be reunited with our family again. No matter what.