Angels

It was a beautiful fall day in Salt Lake. Randy and I decided we'd take our boys to Temple Square to see the temple and walk through the visitors' center. Although it was mid-September, I noticed the grounds crew was busy stringing Christmas lights in the trees throughout
the square. I thought of Lindsey as I watched them work. She used to work on the grounds crew before she left on her mission and we have pictures of her, high in the trees, wrapping Christmas lights around the branches.
I continued to think about Lindsey as I took the boys to see their reflections in the pond in front of the temple. As we stood there, an old man walked by. In a thick accent, he asked if we'd like him to take a picture of our family. After taking our picture he handed me the camera and said, "Bet you can't guess where I'm from?"
I replied, "No. But you're definitely not from around here."
With a big grin on his face he said, "You guessed that right! I'm from England. Birmingham England."
My jaw dropped.
That's where Lindsey served her mission. I had actually been in Birmingham a year ago that day. Was it a coincidence that the only other tourist there taking pictures happened to be from Birmingham England? I don't think so.

My parents recently met with Lindsey's last mission companion who had just returned home from England. She told them how one day she and Lindsey were walking through a market where Lindsey bought a little yellow flower and pinned it to the lapel of her coat. We'd seen her wearing the flower in pictures but didn't know what it was from. It turns out that yellow flower was to raise awareness for cancer.
Another coincidence? I don't think so.

And that is why we left space in our family pictures so we can photo shop Lindsey into them. She is still as much a part of our family as she ever was.