ERICKSON

At our family reunion today, I caught this moment on camera and I can't stop looking at it. 

You know how two year olds are- they're pretty sketchy about people they don't really know. My biggest fear about today was that Grant would shy away from all of my extended family members who don't get to see him very often. I was ESPECIALLY worried about how he would act toward my grandparents. 

Grant and Grandpa Eddie Erickson walking up the path that leads down to the Erickson family cabin on Beaver Mountain

When we got to the cabin, the first thing Jaron did was find one of the last patches of the winter snow- to teach Grant what snow was. 

Grant wanted to see the snow over and over and over and oooooveeeerrrr.

Between my mom, dad, Jaron and who even knows who else... everyone took turns walking Grant to the patches of snow. 

During the craziness of the day, I turned around to see my Grandpa and Grant like this. 

Hand in hand, Grandpa agreeing to help Grant see some more snow. 

I felt in that moment, as if part of life had come full circle. 

It is one of the sweetest moments I have ever been privileged to witness.

"Families are like branches on a tree.
We grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one."

Grant didn't "know" his Grandparents or extended family before today. Today was the first day that he was old enough to actually "meet" everyone and form his very own, two year old opinions about them.
It didn't matter that they were strangers to Grant. I believe that in the premortal existence, we knew who our families would be. We knew we would go down to earth and be on the same team. We knew that we would be family because during the unavoidable hardships of life, we would be EXACTLY what each other needed to get through. We loved each other in heaven, and became family on this earth.
That's what I feel when all of us are together.
It doesn't matter how different we are, where we are at in our lives, mistakes we have made, or what we believe or don't believe-- I feel heaven so strongly, and so tangibly when we are all together.

Words from a simple primary song echo this amazing, profound truth...

God gave us families to help us become what he wants us to be.

 This is how He shares His love; for the family is of God. 

I don't like doing crazy photoshopping-- but for this situation, I am grateful that I was able to make everyone there, even though they weren't. :) Hopefully next year- no photoshopping will be required! ;)