We have another child in our ward who has had a feeding tube and a fundoplication like Bradley.
He has cerebral palsy.
He got stuck in the birth canal and was born with an oxygen level of 30.
The doctors told his mother he would either die or be a vegetable.
He's 12 now.
He's in speech, physical and occupational therapy.
Two years ago he finally got out of his chair.
He can walk now.
His mom says he's a miracle.
His mother and I have recently become closer.
We talk about our boys all the time.
Last night was the ward Christmas party.
We were talking in the corner of the gym and she asked to hold Bradley.
As she held him his head flopped like it does.
She remarked how much holding Bradley reminded her of holding her boy when he was a baby.
Her words stung my heart.
Bradley is 5 months old and he STILL cannot hold up his head.
We go to physical therapy weekly for it.
We practice constantly and he's SLOWLY having improvement.
But nothing like my other babies.
My heart tells me that there IS a neurological reason why
he was not born with the ability to swallow correctly
and now why he cannot hold up his head.
AND THE BRAIN CAN HEAL; HIS HAS ALREADY.
This morning after we had loaded in the car for church,
Tom turned the key and the car would not start.
The battery was dead.
Tom and I laughed as we pushed the car out of the garage to jump it with the truck.
LIFE IS FULL OF CHALLENGES!
This is part of mortality.
This really is a lone a dreary world that we were sent to.
AND WORK AND TOIL IS PART OF IT TOO.
When we finally got to church we sang Christmas hymns.
One of my most favorite hymns is Away In A Manger.
Today the words spoke to me:
I love thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
Be near me lord Jesus; I ask thee to stay
Close by me forever, and love me I pray.
Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,
And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.
This life can be really sad sometimes, can't it?
And we are so lucky to have the love and comfort of our
dear Savior to see us through our sad times.
And as I lay my babe under the Christmas tree this year,
like I do every year I have a baby,
I AGAIN feel my Savior's love.
I know his Heavenly Father and his Savior REALLY DO love him.
And they love me.
And they love you too.
And that no matter what our challenges are, they will be with us to help us through.
