Sammi Sunshine

I love my Sammi. I am so grateful that she was sent to our family. She has always been a ray of sunshine in our lives. We have called her "Sammi Sunshine" from the time she was just a little baby: her light still shines. 

Sammi is my only girl. I have needed her in my life; especially in the last few years without Charles. She is who I call on when I want to watch sappy love movie, she runs with me, and I can talk to her about pretty much anything. I am still her mother, of course, but I also consider Sammi my dear friend. 

I am positive that Heavenly Father knew I would need sunshine in my life, with the intense storms that would come my way. He made sure that Sammi was sent to be with me on this journey. She is just one of many angels, who have buoyed me up. She makes me happy, when skies are gray. 

Sammi is the kind of girl who goes to school, the day after finding out her father died. She is the kind of girl who has unshakable faith, and a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not too long after Charles passed away, I expressed a desire to see him -- I just wanted to have a glimpse of him in the Spirit World. Her response was, "Mom, you just need to have faith." She was right. 

I recently asked Sammi what gets her out of bed in the morning, and she said, "I just think to myself, if I get out of bed, I know I am going to have a good day." She also said she just loves going seminary, and it makes her happy to go first thing in the morning. (This morning glory is not something she inherited from me! But I agree, getting out of bed is the hard part, but once you get up, life is not so bad, right?) 

She also finds so much of her joy in music. She is always singing, playing the piano, and her heart is full of song -- like a Disney princess. I am so grateful that she has music in her soul. I pray it will ever remain throughout her life, and that it will help her to keep her joy, and her sparkle, as she shares her love of song. 

Sammi loves to read. She reads a lot. 

I just love this girl. Yes, I have made her sound like a glorified angel-princess. That is because to me, as her mother: she is. She is not infallible, and we have silly mother-daughter moments that are pretty ridiculous. But when I stop to think about her... when I stop to write about her... all my mind can grasp is the good. 

And so, that is how I see her: Sammi, my glorified, sunshine, angel-princess. 

You'll never know dear, how much I love you. 

I have an angel in Sammi, and a pack of warriors, and protectors, in my boys... more to come on the boys later.