My Son, Miracle, Page 17

Jared goes home on the eve of Christmas Eve . . .

Mary Did You Know

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary did you know…

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

The sleeping Child you’re holding

is the Great, I Am.

--Mark Lowery & Buddy Greene

Jared continued to improve and was finally moved to the pediatric heart patient floor of the hospital.  I, once again, planted myself there until he was well enough to go home.  I had seen the many babies that were left alone in the care of the doctors and nurses.  Whether it be work or distance or other circumstances that did not permit them to stay with their babies, the babies were sometimes left to cry in their cribs.  It was very hard for me to observe their suffering and I wanted to hold and comfort all of them, but you did not dare pick up someone else's baby unless a parent was there and asked you to hold their little one. 

I would not, could not leave my baby to such chance.  He was now 14 weeks old and was recovering from that vile RSV which very nearly took his life.  I was involved in every decision and procedure he went through and was there to comfort him when needed.  I could not stand my children crying even though some of my contemporaries thought that crying was good for their babies and maybe, in some ways, it was.  But I was a mom that felt that crying was a baby's only way of communicating that they were uncomfortable or in need.  And so, I could not bare to leave my son's crying unheard by the already overtaxed nurses assigned to his care.

While Jared was in the NICU, Steve and I shared the waiting area with other families standing watch over their sick children.  One of those families had a 16  year-old daughter whose appendix had burst and the infection was overtaking her body.  We shared stories and heartache.  We talked about God and how blessed we were to still have our little son.  We talked about the miracles surrounding our family and taught them about priesthood blessings. 

As their daughter's condition grew worse, her organs began shutting down.  Her family approached Steve and asked if he would consider giving her a priesthood blessing.  As these blessings are usually given by two priesthood holders, Steve asked if he might call in another elder from the church to assist.  They agreed and planned to give the blessing the next morning.  Their daughter was awake and coherent but was suffering terribly.  She could not speak because of the ventilator tubing in her throat but she was able to communicate by writing.  She could hear everything that was being said to her.

Unfortunately, her medical prognosis was not good.  Her condition deteriorated over night.  Her extended family had been called in.  They attended the blessing given to their daughter  and sister in the ICU.  Steve had pondered and prayed over the night about the blessing he would pronounce on this most loved young woman. His impression was that he was to give her a blessing for comfort but not for healing.  During the blessing, Steve conveyed to her that  families can be eternal and can be together forever and that she was loved by them and her Heavenly Father and that her suffering would soon be over.    He did not linger long in the ICU.  He wanted her family to have as much time with her as possible.  They told her they loved her and gave her "permission" to pass on.

It wasn't until later that the family found Steve  and told  him that they had tried to catch him before he got onto the elevator to leave the floor.  Their beautiful daughter had taken her last breath just minutes after the blessing.  The family  had found comfort in knowing that she had been in the presence of righteous men during her last few minutes of life on earth. 

Christmas was fast approaching and I was concerned about what kind of a Christmas Steve and I were going to be able to provide our little sons.  Money was almost non-existent for us.  We were able to purchase a few very inexpensive plastic toys for our boys and I was relieved in knowing that they were too young to know the difference and probably would not remember this Christmas anyway but, my heart still ached for the sparsity of presents that would be under the tree on Christmas morning.

The Christmas before, our first Christmas in Michigan, we were blessed by purchasing and deliverng a Christmas tree to a family that could not afford to buy one.  They had small children and were touched that we would think of them.  They were so grateful for the tree that they had already begun decorating it before we left.  Little did they know, that we were the ones who were blessed and little did we know that one simple act of charity would be returned to us many times over.

Jared was released from the hospital on the eve of Christmas eve.  We stopped on our way home and bought a Christmas tree.  It was dark by the time we got home but we still had time to celebrate our oldest son, Joel's, third birthday.  We were happy to be home in time to be with Joel on his birthday and to  spend the Christmas holiday together in our own home.  My parents were driving in from Maryland.  They would arrive on Christmas eve.  Money was in such short supply we weren't sure how we were going to be able to feed my parents let alone our family.

We were so happy to be together, it overshadowed any disappointment that could have foiled our Christmas.  Christmas eve arrived and to our greatest surprise and total amazement, so did food and presents and everything imaginable for making a splendid Christmas, including Santa Clause, who just delighted the boys and us as well!

Food arrived in boxes on our front steps and on our back steps, and any place folks could find to leave them, all delivered by anonymously by Santa's little elves.  There was the makings of a large turkey dinner, candy, desserts and much, much more.  Then, the wrapped toys started to arrive.  We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of love shown to us by the members of our church.  Our worries about food diminished and  our entire living room floor was covered in presents for our boys. 

It had always been easier for me to give than to receive.  I was learning to accept the compassionate service of others and as a consolation, I realized that they would be blessed for their goodness.  Jared was given his first care bear that Christmas by a couple who became cherished friends of ours.  They couldn't have given Jared a more thoughtful present.  He loved that bear desperately.  They also appeared with arms laden in groceries seeming to know just what we needed.  Words cannot express the feelings of love and gratitude I felt on that Christmas day.

More to Come . . .