"Penny of Time" Adventure: For Penny's Birthday

Today is Penny's birthday.

I've talked with the kids quite a bit about what we would do for our "Penny of Time" on Penny's birthday.  We have our big service project going and and planned to do some work for it.  Doing that just didn't seem like it was sufficient for this special day.  Penny is the reason why we are doing what we are doing with serving on a daily basis. Her influence has positively affected our lives in so many ways.

The 4 year old has been asking about Penny recently.  He wants to know more about her.  We aren't able to visit Penny at her gravesite in Utah; so, we decided to clean gravesites and to pay particular attention to those that belong to children. 

It gave us a chance to talk about Penny and where she is and what that means.

It gave us a chance to talk about the value of life and what we believe about this earthly life.

It gave us a chance to talk about all the mementos that are left at the children's gravesites, particularly since many more objects and notes are left there than at the neighboring sites.

It gave us a chance to serve through cleaning headstones, raking leaves, sweeping, edging, and picking up litter (the 6 year old made it a personal mission "to get it ALL!").

Today, on Penny's birthday, it was a perfect, crisp autumn day.  We arrived when the shadows started to lengthen allowing a feeling of peace and tranquility to permeate the cemetery.

 

Although not a very big area, these trees are the resting place for twelve infants and children.  Each one has offerings of love in the form of flowers, toys, prayers, poems, and figures.  Most have had solar lights added to the area.

 

"Why do people leave so many things for their kids here?"

 

A great chance to talk about love and how people express their love and ways in which they miss their children.

 

A great chance to express my love for my child and do it without distractions.

 

The 4 year old left a flower for the children.

 

The 6 year old left a pinecone.

 

 

 

Eavesdropping on the Dad and the 6 year old as his dad talks to him and teaches about life and why someone would die so young . . . .

 

Again, Penny has taught us more than any value we could have put on the service we provided.

 

Thank you, Penny!

 

Happy Birthday!