hearts

This post is sad, so don't read it if you don't want to. More cheeriness to come with a later post...

February 9, 2006 - two little boys entered this world. One came to me with broken feet and the other went to an amazing family in Iowa, only this little guy had a broken heart.

He and his family came to STL for his medical care, and we got to know them a little bit as they became a part of our church congregation. He had several open heart surgeries and then finally a heart transplant. Things have been up and down and up and down for months. He even was able to leave the hospital and spend Christmas Eve with his whole family! It didn't last long and back to the C-ICU he went. He fought hard. Sadly this tough, little guy left this world yesterday afternoon. It is thought his new heart had an attack that was just too much for his system to overcome.

We broke the news to Gracie. She was so upset. We've been praying for him and his family for months. They've become a constant in our thoughts. It is our firm belief that families are a forever entity, that when someone leaves this life we will get to see them and be with them again. Grace believes this too, but as usual she had her own perspective on the situation. I had been feeling so heartbroken for the family, that along with their belief and hope they must be full of grief and sadness. Grace felt so much for the little boy. After thinking about it for a minute she started sobbing. She said she felt so bad because he would be missing his mom and dad. I don't know the particulars of the eternities, but I do think he is in good company and that time there is not like time here. She felt better with my explanation. She decided she needed to draw a picture of what his heart must have looked liked. You may note she drew the heart inside his shirt. I thought that was pretty sweet.

Why do I feel it necessary to share this with you? I'm not sure. Its just been weighing on me. You know, when we found out about Jimmy's feet I was so upset. I remember Nate telling me at the ultrasound (when we waited for the final word from the radiologist), that it wasn't that big of a deal. I was so mad at him for saying that! I said it most certainly was a big deal. But now as I've grown up some in the last three years or so I realize Nate was right. Dealing with Jimmy's feet has not been a walk in the park, but it hasn't been so bad. And looking at him you'd never guess when he was born his feet weren't built for running and climbing and getting into all sorts of trouble.

Today I'm going to be thankful for what I've got, because what I've got is good (even if it means that the last few days have been full of snot, lacking in sleep, with an abundance of coughs - it also has had lots of marshmallows, goofiness only a 6 year old can provide, and lots of hugs).