"Is this your first?"

Dear Annie,

Well my sweet little girl, it has been way too long since I wrote to you! With so much that has happened over the past few months, not a day or second goes by that I don't think of you. You are my sweet little Annie-girl and oh how I miss you each and everyday!

First off, I wanted to thank you for taking such great care of sweet Archie before him coming down to earth. Whenever I see him, I see you - and can most definitely feel your sweet spirit. Your dad and I could most definitely feel you in the room when I had your little brother. Every evening when your dad and I pray together, we thank our Father in Heaven for two sweet little babes, and though you're not here physically, you most definitely are here spiritually.

While I was pregnant with Archie, there wasn't a day that went by without someone asking me the question, "Is this your first?" I could have easily given the quick answer and said, "yes." But that would have been a lie, and a terrible one at most. How could I say "yes" to a question that was really a "no" answer? So instead, I would say, "Nope, I have a daughter." Some people would leave it at that, but I mostly would get the next question to be, "How old is your daughter?" I would then give them a brief answer of, "She unfortunately passed away almost a year and a half ago." This would lead into different conversations with different people each day. And after leaving each conversation I had with strangers, I believe people felt a sweet spirit. People see pictures of you, and have a complete feeling of love Annie.

I think a lot of people think that bringing you up is hard for me. But actually, it couldn't be more opposite! I think anyone who has had a loved one pass away would say the same thing. I LOVE when people bring you up because I get to talk all about you and the sweet girl you were and are! I believe that many people have had a change of heart because of you. It's crazy to think that even though you were a baby, the change and love you brought into thousands of people’s lives. I believe that you came down here to your dad and me for multiple reasons, but one most definitely being to bring others unto Christ. We learn in the scriptures that we must be missionaries and "Come unto Christ". There is a verse in the Book of Mormon that says,

"Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." (Moroni 10:32).

You most definitely have taught me to yearn to come unto Christ and love God with all my might, mind, and strength. I believe that is what you wanted to teach all of us down here on earth. How grateful I am for the truth of the Gospel and the light it brings into my life, and the millions of lives here on earth each and everyday. If there is ever a trial that comes our way, if we just come unto Christ and have faith in Him and our Father in heaven, we need not to worry, because everything will work out in the end. That's the wonderful and perfect thing about the Plan of Salvation!

Annie, I love you and miss you everyday. How grateful I am for you, and how grateful I am to know the plan our Heavenly Father has in store for us, so that I may see you again. Your little brother Archie has brought so much joy and happiness into our lives and we are so grateful that we can have more children! I love little Archie so much and he is one lucky little boy to have such an awesome big sister! I know that you're always with him and he's looking up at you grateful to have such a special guardian angel watch over him. I love holding and being with Archie so very much, it is such a special feeling and makes me happy to know I'll be able to hold and raise you too, one day.

I love you so very much Annie-girl and know that I will see you before I know it. Keep watching over us and bringing that special light and spirit into our lives!

Love, Mommy

Families are Forever!

You and your sweet brother!!