Cellular

Keeping the faith, mom, Luce and Steph

I am sure it is normal to continually replay my last conversation with Steph. It happened a little less than a week before the crash. I had some gossip to share with her--really good gossip--and I knew she'd love a listen. This leads me to believe that gossip isn't all bad because, afterall, it compels us to keep in touch. (Phew.)

Steph and I are not phone talkers. We communicate regularly by text or e-mail, usually leaving the phone to pseudo emergencies like, "Who is that guy that sings that song about that one thing?" or her usual, "Send me your crock-pot cake recipe" to which I'd always reply "Here it is, now for the love of grape seeds MEMORIZE IT!"

Or if there was gossip--really good gossip--we'd have to hear the message via our vocal chords.

So I sat in my big white chair which looks out of my front window and talked to my sister as she sat in the passenger seat of her family car on her way to an outing. I offered the news, she accepted. Then I hinted at hanging up and she insisted that the conversation continued. And so it did until we had talked for over an hour. I can't remember everything we said, but I do remember thinking that it was an exceptionally long phone call for the two of us. Upon further remembrance a few things stand out.

I reminded her that I would never forgive her for posting a picture of me breast feeding on her blog. Yes, there was a blanket covering the devouring Chief, but COME ON.

She mentioned her philosophies about educating her children which were, in short, that she hated sending them to school each day and wished they could all stay at home and bake cookies.

Ollie was coming out of his "Buzz and Woody phase" a day which she never thought she'd see.

(Allow me a brief tangent. Why do animator's bother naming their movies other than character's names? Toy Story is either Buzz or Woody. Finding Nemo is just Nemo. Beauty and the Beast? Belle. I see now that the movie called Cars is really Lightenin' McQueen. The creators of Shrek got it right. End tangent.)

And of course, as always we talked about our experiences as Mormon women. Keeping the faith, growing our hearts to yield to goodness and trying to eliminate pride. Our joys are centric in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and both Christian and Stephanie wanted everyone to know it.

Several days after that phone conversation I got a call from my mother telling me that Stephanie and Christian were in a plane crash. It was so early, but reports were coming it that they were ok, maybe a few burns here and there, nothing fatal.

We had no idea.

Sometimes while vacuuming (with our vacuum that doesn't suck) or scrubbing the dishes I think about that last phone call with my little sister. The truth is that they are ok, Steph and Christian, because they have faith in a greater plan. The one great hope. No matter what.

That is the best gossip of all.

We've received a lot of questions about our faith, to learn more about what we believe please visit here.




Steph's big skin graft surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. This is a critical point in her progression. Thank you for joining your prayers with ours.