Reflections on Eternity

Last week we took a trip to Florida for a family vacation. We visited family, went to Disney World, and had an opportunity to reflect on our eternal family. In order for me to express my feelings regarding this experience I feel like I need to give a little background information. Brent lived in Florida in 2002-2004 that is where he married Emily Urban and where Coen was born. Brent, Emily, and Coen were sealed to be an eternal family in the Orlando Temple in December 2003, 2 months later Emily passed away from liver cancer. Coen was 9 months old at the time and Brent became a young single father. Brent took care of all the funeral and burial arrangements and started thinking about his future. A few months later he left his family in Florida and moved with Coen to Utah for school.
Fast forward about 2 years to find Brent and I getting married for eternity in the Spokane, Washington temple and I became mother to 2 1/2 year old Coen. Coming into the situation there have been many trials and blessings. Looking back I wonder sometimes how we made it through. After this week it is more clear to me that it is not through any power of my own, but because of the love and prayers of our family here on earth as well as a guardian angel and a loving and watchful Heavenly Father. This week has given me the great opportunity to reflect on and experience some of the blessings.
One of the jobs that Brent and I (mostly Brent) have is to teach Coen about his mother, Emily. This last week was a perfect opportunity to teach him as well as for me to learn more about her life and the life of my son and husband. On Sunday we saw Coen's first house and visited Emily's grave. Visiting the grave site was very special. Coen picked up some flowers to leave on her grave and he wrote her a little letter. The letter said, "Dear Mom, I think you are pretty. Love, Coen" We all went down to the grave and Coen gave each of us a flower to put on the grave. Me, Atlas, and Emy put down our flowers and went back to the car to let Brent and Coen have a few minutes by themselves. Brent explained how he designed the headstone with a picture of the Orlando Temple. The angle of the temple shows the window looking into the sealing room to always be a reminder that we can be a family forever. It was a special opportunity to remember and reflect.
During the trip we stayed at Emily's parents house. Her sister, Janna, was there visiting from Las Vegas with her son, Liam. They are the biggest blessing to me. I feel like I have a new family and support group. This week was a great reminder to me of the strength of the amazing man that I married and the blessings of eternal families.