Happy Fourth Birthday to Our Special Cannon!

March 1st is always such a special day as it is the birthday of our dear little grandson, Cannon.  At about nine months old, we were made aware that he had a terminal disease called Menkes.  We were all devastated with the news, but truly enjoyed his life with him for as many days and birthdays as he was here on earth. 

Cannon - A few weeks old

1 year old

 2 years old

3 years old

With only 2 1/2 months until Cannon would turn four, we were all sure we could celebrate his special day with him again.  Well, we actually did celebrate his birthday, not just in the way we had imagined.  


December 13, 2013, will be a day we will always remember--when we all got the news that he had passed away.  None of us were expecting that because he seemed so healthy.   However, our Heavenly Father had other plans and knew it was time for him to come home.  Therefore, although he wasn't here on earth to 
celebrate his birthday with us, we all know he was 
observing all the love shown him here on earth.

George and I wanted to do something special for Cannon's birthday, 

so we put this "In Memoriam" ad in Kent and Natalie's Sunnyside 

newspaper for his 4th birthday. 

Ethan's cousin, Bracken, is currently on a Mormon mission serving 

in Boston until his Visa comes for him to begin the rest of his 

two-year mission in Sydney, Australia. 

 He wrote about Cannon in his

 weekly letter:  I miss that little guy. When talking about the Plan of Happiness and
sharing about life after death/the resurrection I often refer to him.
I bare my testimony on how families can be together forever and how we
will see those we love once more. I know that I will see him again, as
we all will, and it will be an amazing day. He has touched my life and
those around me and will always be a beacon for love. I am printing
off the attachment you gave me and will keep it in my bag with me at
all times.  (The attachment he was referring to was the "In Memoriam" above.) 

 In addition to cards and remembrances on the social media from 

friends and family, here are some special birthday wishes

from the Copeland family:

   Jeff and Amy, Cameron and Anne, and Craig and Cassie, along with 

all their children held a birthday celebration where they let balloons

drift to heaven where they know Cannon is.

 Kevin (taking the picture), Angie, and their family visited Cannon's 

grave site in Utah with yellow balloons and found other family and

friends had placed some there, too. 

 And in Sunnyside, Washington, his home town, lanterns were being released just like they have been on all the other three years of Cannon's birthday.

Last year, we received this e-mail from Kent, which really made 

us smile:

Natalie and I have caused quite the stir in our little community of Sunnyside lately.  Let me explain!

Last Thursday night we had Cannon's birthday party where we lit and let off wish lanterns into the sky.  It is quite a sight to see the lanterns go into the sky. 

Well since that night there has been a buzz in the community of UFO sightings!  Then today I pick up our paper and front page is the following article!!!  Absolutely hilarious.

The comment below the article sums up the report that these lights need to be reported to National UFO Center!!!!!!  
(The article is no longer available, but then when the
newspaper was told that these weren't UFOs, but actually wish lanterns for a little
ill boy, they then published the following article:)

In fact, when I called the newspaper to put the memorial ad in about a week ago, the lady said, "Is this the little boy who always has lanterns in the sky on his birthday?"  I answered, "It surely is!"

So, little Cannon was certainly remembered on his birthday in so 
many different ways--all with much love to a little child that
changed all of our lives for the better.  Our hearts still feel the 
sting of his being gone, but we are so happy that he is
running free and able to do all the things he couldn't do here 
on earth.  We love you, Cannon!