Life in a Northern Town: A Couple of Heartbreakers

Yesterday while I was driving Heidi to Bozeman to go to the dentist, she told me about her dream and then asked, "What did you dream, mom?" I said I couldn't remember my Wednesday night dreams, but I remembered my Tuesday night dreams because they were kind of sad. I watched Oprah's interview with GW Bush right before I went to bed and I was struck so much by the love and respect between him and his dad. It was mentioned several times.

Papa Bill & Baby Heidi

And so as I drifted off to sleep, I began to sob (I'm a little hormonally imbalanced right now) because that great love in my life is gone and life hasn't even slowed down enough for me to really feel it. But the closer the holidays come, the more my heart aches for my grandpa. So of course I dreamed he was with us for the holidays, and I woke up feeling his absence like never before. I told all that to Heidi in six-year-old terms. She responded, "Oh, I miss Papa Bill, too. He talked to me the other night in my bed when I was missing him."

"Oh, really?" I said, curious. "What did he say to you?"

"Well, he wasn't really talking to me, mom. It was just like when Jesus talks to you with a feeling in your heart, you know? And he said, 'Heidi, don't be sad. I love you so much!' and I felt better."

I'm not kidding. That is exactly what Heidi said (I wrote it down when we got to the dental office because I loved it). It makes me feel happy because I know she is learning to feel and recognize the Spirit, and also that she has an eternal relationship with my grandfather, which is something I really hoped for my children.