In Honor of Isaac's Birthday (May 10th)

My heart has been particularly tender these past few days, and as it gets closer to Isaac's birthday (May 10th), my emotions grow more bittersweet and poignant. How grateful I am to be his mother, and to have had such a sweet, precious child in my home-- albeit for far too short a time. But how my heart aches to have him here with me to celebrate his first birthday, and every birthday after!

I have been contemplating how best to celebrate his birth, and I don't have it all totally figured out yet. I know I'll start the day eating Cheerios, because Isaac LOVED Cheerios. I know that my husband and I will spend part of the day in the Temple, because there we feel peace and comfort from our Father in Heaven. Isaac LOVED music, so I know I will listen to some songs he liked.

He also LOVED to eat, but since he mostly only nursed, I'm not sure what his favorite food would be. I know when I was pregnant for him, my biggest cravings were strawberry ice cream and Coca-Cola (gasp! Please don't judge me!), so I will likely have some in tribute to him. We'll have a cake and sing him "Happy Birthday," in the hopes that maybe somehow he'll hear us all the way in Heaven. I dearly hope we will be able to make the 90-minute drive to the cemetery to take him some flowers.

These are all small things, and I want to do more. I have thought a lot about the kind of boy Isaac is, and the joy and love that just radiated from his chubby little body. He had the most beautiful smile, and he shared it so freely, in turn making everyone around him smile. I think he just brought smiles and sunshine with him wherever he went. So, in honor of him, I want to do something to make someone else smile and feel loved, just as he did for me.

This is not entirely my idea alone. I have been reading the blog of another mother whose young daughter died tragically in an accident, and who is very inspiring to me. In honor of her sweet daughter, Camille, she asked others to do something kind for someone else on Cami's birthday (which, coincidentally, also happens to be my birthday). And so, I encourage all of you, anyone who ever met Isaac, or who simply read about him or saw his photo and loved him, to do the same.

On Monday, go out of your way to make someone happy. Do something compassionate and loving. Help someone else feel better, even for a brief moment. Think of my dearest little Isaac, and the joy he would have spread each day had he lived longer. And try to scatter some sunshine of your own, in honor of him. Then, if you don't mind, please let us know what you did. It would mean a lot to me, and I think it would also mean a great deal to him.