Roller Coaster

Last week I heard about two friends from the dental hygiene program. One of the girls completed the first year of hygiene with us (and spent the first nine weeks being partners with me in clinic, until we realized we were supposed to trade partners every three weeks and we hadn't been! Lets just say, I really knew the inside of her mouth) and then was diagnosed with cancer over the summer. Because she was going through chemo treatments she did not complete the senior year with us, but came back the following year to complete her senior year. She was scheduled to graduate this April, having completed all of the dental hygiene courses and classwork. Its somewhat unbelievable to me that she worked so hard at dental hygiene, while struggling with cancer, treatments, and hospitalizations. She passed away this weekend, reminding me all too strongly of how precious and fragile life really is.
The other friend from dental hygiene had a baby several months early not too long after graduation. He lived for five months in the NICU. After some recent problems, they decided to let him go back to our Heavenly Father and took him off the ventilator that has been keeping him alive. I can't imagine how this couple must feel after receiving so much hope that improvement was coming!
Sterling bought me a new paring knife on Saturday. Our original was a gift from our wedding, and the metal part dug into my palm when I used it to cut. I was more than ecstatic about getting a really nice paring knife. And every time I use it I get so excited, and I just love Sterling so much!
I had a baby check-up today, and our baby is growing and kicking, and her heart is beating and everything looks good. I even gained five pounds since my last visit! Haahaa. I get so excited to be a mom and hold her and dress her and watch her with her daddy.
There are such BIG things in life, and there are so many LITTLE things in life(like paring knifes), and I feel like Sterling and I are being blessed with EVERYTHING right now. But I am also very grateful that I can feel sorrow as well as peace about the struggles in the lives around me because of my knowledge of the plan of salvation and eternal families. I am incredibly thankful that Sterling and I are sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. And that baby Ruthie will be able to be sealed to us when she is born.