Wink from Heaven: Earth Angel

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Earth Angel

Jeffrey R. Holland: ...not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day...

I have sweet moments with Caleb when I know that I live with an angel. Even when Caleb is so sick that he can hardly move...he still has an miraculous effect on people. We usually spend most of our time in the PICU where Caleb can't have many visitors. However, during this last hospital stay, I was so touched by the visitors Caleb had...visitors from within the hospital. Many doctors, residents and nurses who have met Caleb before, would come by day after day to check on him, stand by his bed for a moment, and feel his sweet little spirit. Caleb couldn't walk or talk with them- He touched their hearts... and they felt it. I felt it. One told me she had never been so touched and inspired before. I know. Me too.
This last visit was 13 days long. Nine IV's later...and Caleb still shines. I live with an angel, whose feet have never left the ground.

5 comments:

Becky said...: I'm sitting here at Dartmouth with tears in my eyes. I have felt those very same feelings and yet I haven't ever met Caleb in person. You DO have an angel in your midst. And do you know what else? YOU are one of those angels. ;); January 9, 2009 at 7:49 AM
Joy said...: I would have to agree with Becky. All of you are angles and have special missions to fulfull!; January 9, 2009 at 1:59 PM
Unknown said...: Thanks for sharing a bit of your heaven on earth.; January 10, 2009 at 9:25 PM
shirlgirl said...: Hope your angel baby is doing well and that you and the rest of the family are doing well, too. I've been checking your blog daily for updates, but I know you must be busy with all that is going on at home. You are in my prayers. Have a blessed Sunday. Give that little angel of yours a kiss for me.; January 11, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Janene Baadsgaard said...: What a great mission Caleb has. How he has touched so many lives. I will never be the same. I count myself most blessed to be the grandma of such an angel. I love you. MOM; January 12, 2009 at 9:04 AM

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.