From Dad

I was recently visiting with Dallin. I shared with him that I noticed that he seemed to be having a more positive relationship with his stepmother Adri. I shared with him something I hoped would be meaningful to him. I hope it will be meaningful to you also

When mom and I got married, she asked her new sister’s-in-law to be her bridesmaids. She shared with me that all her life she wanted a sister. She only had Brothers and always felt somewhat alone. She was looking forward to having a very close relationship with these three special women. She always had friends and some very close roommates. But this hunger and need for a sister was something that went very deep in her needs. Over the years she always felt a continued frustration because her efforts to be close to her sister-in-law's seemed to always be frustrating. She loved Aunt Carol, Aunt Mary Carol, And Aunt Beau. But she was always hungry for something more. When Rachel was born she thought she might finally have this very special close friend. In many ways her daughter's did become her very special friends and sisters. However, those relationships turned out to be more a mother daughter relationships than they were sister relationships. I think she took great joy in watching her three daughters love each other and enjoy those special connections. However, there always seem to be something that she was looking for that she could never find in any of these relationships. She would often share with me the hunger that she felt to find that special sister or special woman friend. She would often go walking with sisters an Ward in the mornings. Part of that was for exercise but another part was because she was searching for a special connection with a sister. I remember her sharing with me the frustration of never being able to find what she was looking for.

Several weeks ago I woke up early one morning. Adri was already up reading her Scriptures just like mom did early in the morning. I found myself missing mom so very much. I felt such a deep loneliness for her and the joy that I always felt in my heart when I was with her. I hungered for her presence and for her companionship. I felt her come to me and felt her loving presence and comfort. She seemed to be whispering to me that she had found her sister. She expressed to me her love for Adri and that she had finally found the fulfillment for that hungry need that she had felt all her life for a sister.

That realization of how much mom loves Adri has been a great comfort to me and I find my relationship with Adri has been more sweet and meaningful to me since I had that experience. I also feel that Adri is especially sensitive to the whisperings and influence of mom. In so many ways they are very much alike in terms of their devotion to the Lord, there love of the Scriptures, and their devotion to serve others. They truly are very special sisters.