My little Annika

Two years ago a light in my life was put out. Annika Leigh Ison died at age 3 and today marks 2 years since her funeral.

When I woke up on June 30 I had a horrible feeling in my stomach and sure enough, my parents had bad news for me. Annika had been vacationing with her family in Utah and had had a stroke. I was in shock. Not my Annika.....I went back to my room and cried for hours. Then later that day, her family took her off life support and her little soul went back to our Father in Heaven and I'm sure she's reeking all sorts of havoc ;)

Now let me tell you about my little Annika. She was born with a hole in her heart so she wasn't expected to last very long but she did. For most of her life she was tied to oxygen and had to be fed through a tube (which she did not like). She was a spitfire kid. In church, everyone knew where she was because she talked to them in normal child volume which has no whisper knob hahaha but she was well-loved throughout the ward. Her family lives down the street from me so I see her brothers and little sister all the time but I still miss my little Annika. That little girl had me wrapped around her little finger so tightly and whenever I would babysit she and I would just snuggle the whole time.

My favorite memory of her happened at my senior Prom. As always, I had taken about 3 hours to get ready (I have a lot of hair hahahaha) and the boys were an hour and a half late to pick us girls up. So I'm already anxious and not sure what's happening but all the kids in the neighborhood gathered to see the "limbo" come get me. Annika and her parents came into the house while the other kids played outside and she had a chocolate popsicle or something like that and saw me and jumped down to come hug me. As soon as she hit the floor, everyone gasped and said "NO!" her dad grabbed her and said, "No touch Ali. Pretty dress doesn't need chocolate on it" so she just whispered, "No touch Ali no touch Ali no touch Ali." And when the limo finally came she wanted to see all the pretty girls but the driver drove off before she could see anything so she wasn't happy. Hahahaha the next day at church I wore my dress again, since it's the tradition. I heard little feet running up behind me and I turned around to scoop up the little one and there was Annika. She stopped short as soon as she realized that I was still in my prom dress and said to herself, "No touch Ali no touch Ali". I laughed at her and picked her up anyways.

She was my little girl and I loved her like she actually was mine but I know she's in a better place and happy being with family members and Heavenly Father. Though she is sorely missed. And her sister Brielle? Annika definitely trained her before she was born ;) ;) Same spitfire spirit that Annika had.