a little help from the other side

i've always loved family history.  i work on it frequently and feel a real connection to those whose names i study and find.  a few months ago i wondered why i wasn't feeling that connection carry over into my everyday life.  i so badly wanted to feel their influence in my every day life and feel them help me through trials and give me guidance when i had questions.  i prayed for quite a while that i would be blessed with those things.

nothing happened.  at least nothing i could see with my mortal eyes.

then on the morning of february 20th, i woke up from a dream that fit all that criteria!

in my dream we were at jared's childhood home.  all of the family was there, including his mom.  in the dream i knew she was only visiting from the other side and boy was she beautiful!  i remember complimenting her several times on her beauty!  her nails were painted the most beautiful shade of mauve and her silver hair was done just so.

jared, burt and i were sitting around the island in the kitchen.  even though everyone was there, we were the only ones that could see her.  she asked us questions about what was going on with people in the family and her reactions were just like they would have been in real life!

and this is the part of the dream that was a true tender mercy.

she stopped, looked right at jared and in her low and serious voice said, "jared, it's time to do something about that house.  you've had your family living in that little house for too long."

and with that, the dream ended!

i thought it was actually kind of funny and didn't mention it to jared until he called me later that morning.  i told him what happened and we chatted about how real it felt.  a few hours later he called me back and told me to take the plans to the town to get an updated permit.

and now we are in the thick of a major addition and remodel!  and it's glorious!  hard and costly but glorious.  we'll soon have the space we need and even a little to spare.

what an answer to my prayers that was!  now i just hope she doesn't come back with a message to have another baby or something.  haha!