Practicing "Peace In Christ" & Angel Mimi visiting

 Dear Kids, 

We've been practicing all week to sing "Peace in Christ" or "Paz en Cristo" (en espanol) in sacrament meeting for Easter Sunday tomorrow. 

Yesterday I started getting a sore throat and today it's just gotten worse and I haven't felt well. In fact, the whole time we've been in Mexico I have been experiencing lots of different sicknesses. It's been interesting. I think I wrote about a blessing that Brent gave me with the kidney stuff I was experiencing and in the blessing Heavenly Father said that I am not going to be experiencing anything life threatening, but that He is "allowing me to experience things that are normal". Basically telling me that I get to experience these things while we're here for my good and to "bear it well". 

Anyway, I got a sore throat, and I think it might be strep throat. So tonight Brent gathered all of you together to practice singing for tomorrow, and you practiced parts without me, just in case I can't sing. 

I was in our bedroom resting, laying down with the door closed when you started to practice. 

Then Mimi came to visit me. She came by me and said, "Andrea, listen to your family! They are amazing!". As soon as I felt her by me I just started to cry. I said, "I know mom! They are amazing!" My heart just exploded with all kinds of feelings - feeling joy for all of you, feeling gratitude for my Savior and the gift of His atonement, feeling sadness because I missed Mimi so much and I wanted to physically hug her... so many emotions. 

Then she snuggled me and said, "Andrea, I am still your mom. Let me be your mom." I told her I missed her so much! My heart just opened up and I cried and cried. She told me that she was sorry I wasn't feeling well and she said, "Sometimes it's good as a mom to have the excuse to just lay down and listen, instead of getting up, working and talking. It's good to just listen to your family."

Then we just listened to you while you sang. She is so proud of you! She loves you so much! She told me if I can't go tomorrow that she'll be there no matter what to hear you. She LOVES to hear you sing together. I could just feel her pride in you as her grandkids. She is always watching over you, and she knows each of you individually and loves you. 

She then told me, "Andrea, Brent is such a good man." And I started crying more. I said, "I know mom right? He is wonderful." She just reassured me of his good heart and to keep loving him for everything that he is. 

This whole time we could just listen to you practice. I cried. I felt a lot. I cried more. She just stayed by me and comforted me and was just there to help me feel better and take care of me. 

Oh man! I miss my mom! I know you all miss her so much too. 

I wanted to make sure and write this experience down before it got away from me. God is good. All the time. Jesus loves you. So much. 

I love you, 

Your Mom