Wink from Heaven

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter

He walked that lonely road from Gethsemane to Calvary so that I need never walk alone. I am forever thankful for the healing balm of His atonement and resurrection. May we stand with Him the way he forever stands with us.

Happy Easter

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Valentine Wink

The morning after Caleb died, we opened our door to find that it was covered in hearts with sweet messages written on them. There was also a sweet treat for breakfast on the porch. Our dear friends must have come over in the wee hours of the night; it touched our hearts deeply to know they knew how hard that first morning would be.

On the year anniversary of Caleb's death, we returned from visiting the cemetery to find our door once again covered in hearts by those same friends. They even left a sweet treat for us to enjoy.

I have been so humbled to by the goodness that surrounds us. We have been remembered in such personal and tender ways. Thank you to the kind souls who have been angels for our family. Your kindness, your visits, your invitations for lunch, and your quiet acts of remembering have filled my heart to overflowing. Thank you, again and again.

"Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind.”

Jeffrey R Holland

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Wink Snowman!

Thanks for the wink Whitcomb family!

You made our day all the way from Massachusetts !

There 'snow better friends than you ;)

Saturday, February 23, 2013

A wink from the Anaconda Job Corps

Thank you for the wink Anaconda Job Corps!

You touched our hearts!

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Chicago Wink!

Thanks for the Chicago "Wink" Uncle Derek and Aunt Shantal!

We love you!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Puerto Rico Wink

My brother Jacob and sister Aubrey went on vacation with their cute families, and they sent us a "wink" all the way from Puerto Rico!

We love you! Bring some sunshine home for us!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

A Disney Wink from Joy

We recently received a "wink" from Joy's family in Disneyland! Joy was born a few months ago and lived for several hours before returning to Heavenly Father. Her family has touched my heart in deep and tender ways. You will be touched by their story and can catch a glimpse of heaven on their blog: Our Journey With Joy.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Glimpses of Caleb's Funeral Services (Part 2)

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Glimpses of Caleb's Funeral Services (Part 1)

It has been a year since Caleb passed away and my heart hasn't been ready to share images of that tender time until now. As I have looked back on the past year I know the Savior hasn't left my side for a single day. He has carried me on hard days, strengthened me when I felt broken, and wrapped me in His arms when I needed to cry.

I have an image in my mind of me following Caleb's casket down the isle the day of his funeral. Caleb in his full stature was walking on one side of me, and my older Brother Jesus Christ was on the other. I know they were there for me on that day and that they will both continue to be there every single day.

Friday, January 25, 2013

The Gift of Giving Life

This week you can find Caleb's story on The Gift of Giving Life blog. Hope to see you there!

My mom also wrote a wonderful article about my little Sister and Caleb that was featured on Life Site News.

Life is sweet

Life is precious.

Every life is truly a miracle...

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Happy birthday Caleb

Janauary 6th was Caleb's birthday.

He would have been eight years old.

It was a sweet day to begin some traditions that will always be special for us.

We gave each of the boys a trunk with a special note from Caleb.

The note told them that each year on his birthday they would get something meaningful to put in their trunk to help them feel close to heaven.

In their trunks they found the DVD slide show we played at Caleb's funeral, a wink magnet, a copy of Caleb's funeral program and a DVD of Dallan's BYU devotional talk.

(you can watch it here or read it here)

Caleb's note also told them that each year the family would receive a present that would help us make a happy memory together! This year we got a new board game to play! (Caleb knows we love to play games :)

The note ended with a challenge for the boys to find a way to share a wink with someone and care for them in the same way they took such good care of him.

For church that day Dallan and the boys wore a tie tack with the letter C on it. They were a special Christmas gift from Caleb's nurse and our dear friend, Hailey. They loved having a quiet way to have Caleb close to their hearts.

I love imagining my boys taking this tie tack with them on their missions and taking the opportunity to tell their investigators about Caleb then bearing their testimonies of eternal families.

I know Caleb will be a special missionary companion for his brothers throughout their lives.

We were touched by the ways Caleb was remembered on his special day. My family knew it was too cold to bring flowers to his grave, so they brought flowers to us instead.

We went to the cemetery right before the sun went down. It was cold, but so beautiful. We sang happy birthday to Caleb and thought of a way we would share a wink this year. Then we let our balloons go.

Heaven was here. Caleb was close. Our hearts were filled.

When we returned home we lit Caleb's birthday cake and watched a picture slide show while we ate. It was sweet to hear our boys giggle as they watched pictures of them growing up with Caleb.

We miss Caleb every day.
We rejoice in the miracle of seven years.
And we thank our Savior Jesus Christ for making it possible for us to be a forever family.

As we Celebrate Caleb, we celebrate Him.

Happy birthday sweet Caleb.

We love you forever.

Heaven sent...
We were blessed with a little boy who always winked!
Caleb's brain did not form, and doctors didn't expect him to live for more than a few weeks. After 8 days in the NICU doctors sent us home saying there was nothing more they could do. Among his various physical challenges, Caleb was missing one of his eyes. Even though he was never be able to say "I love you" with words, he told us every day with his "wink!" His little wink was a daily message of love from heaven.

Caleb’s spirit radiated pure love. He brought the love of God and light of Christ into the lives of all who knew him. Caleb’s life was a precious gift and a tender miracle. His winking eye was a daily reminder of Caleb’s deep love for all of us. Caleb could have quickly returned to heaven but instead he brought heaven to us for seven years.

Caleb was a precious gift to our family, and now it is our priveledge to live in such a way that we will be reunited with him forever.

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.