Happy Birthday, Brad

It was a lovely weekend.  I left late-afternoon on Friday to make the drive to Ogden.  I drove straight to the West Warren Cemetery where my siblings would be gathering with Brad's wife and daughters to let off balloons in celebration of his birthday. Here are a few snapshots from the event:

I didn't remember this military marker being there before.  Jenny said it always had been, but it was in an unusual location and had since been moved to be just under the headstone.  I love that the marker has the image of the Angel Moroni triumphantly sounding the trump.  

As we let go of the balloons, I noticed that the two red ones tangled together looked like a giant heart floating off.  We're sending you our love, Brad!

The cemetery neighbors a cow pasture.  Isn't it fitting that there would be an eagle's nest in the high branches of the tree that bordered the cemetery? I think so!

And then the sun set on the day that marked thrirty-seven years since Brad was born. 

Because birthdays are for celebrating, we went back to the house for food, cake, and "Casino Night."  

My siblings and I stayed up late reminiscing and laughing about all the trouble they got into as kids (my teenage years were decidedly mild in comparison), and we tried desperately to stifle the last remaining giggles as we settled in to sleep. Saturday morning, we awoke early and enjoyed attending a session in the Ogden temple before I headed back home.  Like I said before, it was such a lovely weekend.

This post authored by Amber