As Dan and I try to start planning when to have our next baby, it dawns on me that you won't be there to call and share the news of our next pregnancy. I realized that after all the parents were called, you were always the first of the siblings we called to tell or that found out (sorry everyone else!). You had the sweetest and best squeal of joy whenever we told you. You were always so excited to become an aunt again!
I remember when Brooke was born, Dan was calling everyone to let them know the news. Since we didn't find out the sex of the baby until she came, he left anyone who didn't answer the message of "call us back to find out what we had"! I remember you telling me you were so excited to find out that you even ducked out of sacrament meeting to find out because you couldn't stand not knowing if you had a nephew or a niece for even an hour longer! You always were so excited!
I also remember the night we told everyone we were pregnant with Tanner. It was Christmas Eve and we had planned on putting on Brooke's jammies that read "big sister" (the ones that matched all the other grandkids "yearly pj's" that Mom and Dad Kimball got that year). However, we had written on a present we gave to your parents "From: Dan, Heather, Brooke and ???" You had been curious who the CD of sorts had been from and peeked at the card before we had a chance to get the pj's on. You almost tip toed through the after dinner chaos and came and showed me the card and said "Was I suppose to see this?!" in a hush and again squealing tone. I told you not yet and you just beamed and went and put the card back and anxiously awaited the "unveiling" of our big news! Again, you were so excited. Then when Tanner was born, you were the only sibling we skyped with (at least in the hospital). How cool it was that we could introduce you and your 3 kiddos to him while were separated by 500 miles. Again, I can still see your happy face when you saw Tanner.
{Kenna was always a great helper to Brooke. In this case, she was keeping her in place for pictures the night we announced Tanner was on his way!}
{Kenna was always a great helper to Brooke. In this case, she was keeping her in place for pictures the night we announced Tanner was on his way!}A month after Tanner was born, we decided to take a random and spur of the moment road trip to Utah. Dan was unemployed and we thought "hey! what the heck! Let's go show him off!" ;) I took pictures the night we had dinner at your house and the kids all took turns holding and seeing 4 week old Tanner. In the corner of each picture, you can see your same great smile that we all know so well.
{Evan getting his turn with Tanner for the first time. Your face is my favorite.}
{Evan getting his turn with Tanner for the first time. Your face is my favorite.}My heart breaks for the children we have yet to have join our family that won't get to know you. I have to remind myself however that you are probably with them now. They will know you. Just not in the sense we are all use and accustomed to. We will make sure they know who you were while they are here.
I love you Wendy. I miss you. I wish I had a video or sound recording to play whenever that time comes again for us to announce our next little.
Until we meet again,
Heather
