Easter Thoughts

Last Sunday I took Aaron to church.  It was such a wonderful feeling to have him there.   Last summer when we met with Dr. Knorr for the first time with Aaron, I asked about taking him out.  He asked what my goal was for Aaron.  Some parents want their child to experience everything they can, because they aren’t expected to live long.  We felt like we needed to give Aaron the best chance he could have at living.  So I replied, “To keep him as long as I can.”  He told me not to take him out to church until after cold/flu season, at least April or May.  So we took him to the Primary program in September and the Christmas program, but both times we came in after the meeting started and left before it was over.  Last week I got to have him there for the full time.   The last speaker was talking about miracles, about how when we have exhausted our resources, angels can come to our aid.  Specifically he referenced the Martin and Willie handcart companies.  When Brother Scherer closed the meeting, he paused and said, “Speaking of miracles, we have Aaron Peterson here with us today.  That is a miracle.”  Of course, I teared up.

On Monday evening, for Family Home Evening, we had an Easter lesson.  It involved pictures of the Savior and his ministry along with readings and songs.  As we sang, I noticed that Aaron was waving his hand, in time with the music.  As we would stop singing, he would stop waving.  I really feel like he knows the music about the Savior.  He knows he is loved, not only by us, but also by Jesus.  I went back and reread the talk giving on Saturday morning in General Conference by Elder Kent F. Richards, “The Atonement Covers All Pain.”  That was the talk where he spoke of the girl who had surgery to remove a brain tumor.  When she woke, she identified several family members in the room who had passed away and were there to help her.  Then she told them that all the children in the ICU had angels with them.  I’ve been in the ICU, more times than I wish.   As I think of those experiences, and our experience in the NICU, I feel sure that those children do all have angels helping them. 

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.  I think it has become my very favorite day.  Christmas is wonderful, but without Easter, it would just be another day.  I was talking to Michael today about Easter and we were talking about the resurrection.  He remembers last fall when Lady died, and he remembers how the last several months, she really didn’t run or play at all.  And he misses her.  We talked about how after the resurrection, she will not only be alive but well and playful again.  Then we talked about Aaron.  I know we get to have him back, but it really became more real to me as we talked about how he won’t need the ventilator to breathe.  He won’t need a feeding tube.  He’ll be able to run and play.  He can play soccer or baseball, or shoot hoops, because he will have a perfect body.  I am so very grateful for my Savior and His willingness to die and then live again so that we can too.  Not only will I have a perfect body, my baby will too.  He will not hurt or get sick, he will grow and play and talk and sing.  Tomorrow when we are all at church, it will be the first time our whole family will be there together  for all the meetings since the week before Mother’s Day last year.  I can’t wait to take the sacrament and renew my covenant to always remember Him.  Sunday will come.  After the Fridays of our lives, Sunday always comes.