Wink from Heaven: Caleb's Funeral

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Caleb's Funeral

Please join us in celebrating the miracle of seven years! Caleb's funeral will be held on Friday February 17th at the Spanish Fork Maple Mountain Stake Center located at 2188 East 100 South in Spanish Fork at 11:00 a.m. A viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 prior to services.

14 comments:

Cami said...: Thinking of you and praying for your family. I have learned so much through your blog. Caleb truly was and will always be an angel. Thank you for sharing him.; February 15, 2012 at 8:04 AM
Van Leuven said...: We were planing on coming to the funeral. But now we aren't going to be able to make. But no that our family has been thinking about your family. We love and miss you.; February 15, 2012 at 8:17 AM
The Snell Family said...: April you are in my thoughts and prayers. I wish we could be there to hug and hold you. Travel just isn't in the cards with the new baby. I feel so blessed to have met you and loved on your sweet Caleb. We will light a candle and release baloons for your sweet angel.; February 15, 2012 at 8:50 AM
Janae said...: Thoughts and prayers are with you, I'm sure the funeral will be beautiful.; February 15, 2012 at 4:37 PM
Ashley Dawn said...: April, I wish I could be there. We will all be thinking of you!; February 15, 2012 at 7:22 PM
KTL said...: I know how hard it is to lose someone who is so dear to you. As I have read your blog peace has filled my heart. Thank you for sharing with me your love for our Heavenly Fathers plan. Dallan and April our love and prayers go out to you and your family.Rich Karen and family; February 16, 2012 at 9:41 AM
shirlgirl said...: I wish I could be there with all of you tomorrow, but I will be there in spirit and thinking of you. Sending you lots of love, and may peace be with you as you celebrate the seven wonderful miracle years you had with your sweet Caleb. Love, "Aunt" Shirley; February 16, 2012 at 2:57 PM
dannette said...: I will be thinking of your family as you celebrate Caleb's life! What a celebration that will be - he was an amazing boy who was blessed to an amazing family.; February 16, 2012 at 5:03 PM
Brad and Amy said...: Thinking of you and praying for your family. I hope Caleb's sweet spirit fills the room tomorrow and that everyone feels the gentle love that Caleb personified.; February 16, 2012 at 10:10 PM
brigette said...: Praying for your sweet family so much on this very hard day!! Can you please send me your address? Thank you so much!! Hugs and love to you all; February 17, 2012 at 7:14 AM
Unknown said...: I am so sorry for your loss,you and your family are in my prayers. I just read your blog and it has given me hope for grieving the loss of my daughter a month ago. She was a month and a week when she joined God and his angels and became one as well. I will tell her to play with Caleb and to look after eachotehr.; February 17, 2012 at 11:38 AM
Jenn said...: We are thinking of Caleb and you and your family today. I'm sure it will be a sweet and beautiful funeral for such a precious little boy.; February 18, 2012 at 9:47 AM
Debbie said...: Wish we could have been able to come. But remember you are in our prayers and Caleb will surely be missed. Thank you for sharing him with our family. The Briggs; February 18, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Melissa said...: I'm a little late writing this, but I wanted to reach out and hug you and your family. I"m a stranger who has been uplifted by your story for the past few years. The things I have been taught by you and your sweet Caleb are unnumbered. Thank you for sharing your story and sweet reminders of the purpose of life. Thank you for your example as a wife and mother. Thank you for the sweet reminders of how great it is to be have a body. My heart aches for you at this time. My prayers will be with you and your sweet boys.; February 20, 2012 at 9:56 PM

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.