Tuesday, April 22, 2014

A hospital dream

Dear Eli,

It was almost 6 years ago that your Dad and I were in the hospital having your big brother, Owen.  Owen was just born and we spent our first night in the hospital checking on your premature brother in the NICU.  The next morning, your Dad told me a dream he had about you.  He said that Owen was just a little one year old stumbling around and he saw Owen walk up to a little baby boy in the corner of our living room.  Your Dad knew that you were anxious to get here to be with your brother. I was a little shocked about the dream, because Owen was just 1 day old, but true to form, 10.5 months later you came to join our family.

Eli, we love you so much.  You are still our bear.  You are a bruiser of a boy and are fiercely defensive of anyone messing with your brother and sisters.  You always call Zoey and Owen, my sister and my brother.  When things get too serious around the house, you start yelling your made-up words to get a laugh out of everyone.  You're always looking for the humor in everything, just like your Dad.  I love how you have an opinion and how you know what you want, even as a 5 year old.  You also have some special gifts, that few people see under your big boy exterior.  You are secretly super smart, you love to learn, and at the end of the day, it's really important that your friends behave in church and at school.  You always have a perfect memory.  You remember places that we went to years ago, and you'll hold us to any promises we've made from weeks before.

Elijah, you'll always have a special place in my heart, because you're just like your Dad.  And I happen to love your Dad and think he's the greatest guy there is, so naturally I am loving watching you grow up and figure this life thing out.  I'm so impressed with you and I hope you know how blessed you've been with all the gifts and talents the Lord has given you.  Remember how loved you are and how unique you are and you'll do amazing things now and in the future.  We love you always Eli bear!

Love,
Mom and Dad






Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Roses

    Ever since Evey's birth, we have constantly been witness to miracle after miracle and have encountered some of the most amazing people that have been put throughout our Family's journey.  In the last 2 years, I have seen our Heavenly Father's most perfect love and seen the spirit work through complete strangers.  Last week, I had another one of those moments, one of those acts that you know could only happen because of the sheer love our Heavenly Father has for each one of his children on earth.  And it is all because of some roses.
    Last Friday night, Nate and I were out with Evey on another one of our "date" nights.  We needed to stop off at the grocery store before picking up the other 3 kids.  At this point, it had gotten late, and Evey was done and had turned into cranky pants (my kids hate when I call them cranky pants).  We were checking out at Trader Joe's and there was a nice older, Asian woman, with a faint Australian accent checking us out.  She saw Evey and walked around to say hello.  Needless to say Evey wasn't the happiest and started screaming, so Nate picked her up and went to the car, so I could check out.  The nice lady saw Evey's feeding tube as Nate was leaving and proceeded to ask me about Evey.   Truth be told, I prefer when people ask about her as oppose to just stare or make some assumptive comment.
      So, I proceeded to tell her about Evey's syndrome and what it means, and then she told me she had a 33 year old daughter who was Autistic.  She went on to tell me what she sacrificed to make sure her daughter had the best life she could give and I told her, she was obviously an incredible Mom.  She ever so kindly, returned the compliment to me, and said, "I can tell you are a really good Mom, too."  In the middle of checking out, she asked me if she could give me a hug from one Mom to another, and I said sure.  As we embraced, it felt like I was getting a hug from my Heavenly Father.  I felt total peace and immediately started to weep as she hugged me.  We pulled away, and she had tears in her eyes as well.  She then told me to stay there and she ran over to the flower section and brought me a bouquet of roses.  She told me she wanted to give these to me and bought them for me.  I paid for my bill, asked her for one more hug, and told her I would never forget this for the rest of my life.  As I walked out, I silently said a prayer of thanks for this kind woman, and for an ever-loving Heavenly Father that is constantly reminding me that he is here, that he lives, and that we are his children. 
    I have had so many incredible moments like this in Evey's short 2 years, and I remember each and every one of them in exact detail.  The majority of these people I will never see again in this life, but I can't wait to see them in the next and to embrace them again and thank them for blessing our temporal lives.  More importantly, this kind woman, reminded me to be that person for someone else.  Be that person that gives a hug, that buys a stranger a bouquet of flowers, and that serves a brother and sister with Heavenly Father's perfect love. 
    We are blessed.