The circle of life

This has been a very interesting week for me. To preface, I have to say that our next door neighbor was expecting her baby anytime when we left on our vacation. We were just hoping she could hold out until we go home. We arrived home last Sunday morning around 3:00 am and the first thing we noticed was that the neighbor's car was gone and the living room light was on. We were so excited and figured that she must have gone to the hospital in labor. We found out the next day that she did have the baby-a little boy. My children have been sooo anxious to meet him. ( We are taking them dinner in a couple hours and I am sooo excited to hold a newborn....uh oh Darin:))

We didn't see hide nor hair of the dad on Monday, but early Tuesday morning, the he rang the door bell to tell me about the baby and ask me to put up balloons. He also asked about this big blow up stork we got when Spencer was born. I told him we had it and he was so thrilled. I told him I would put it up. So before swim lessons, with the help of 3 very eager little kiddies, I manage to set the stork up and put out the balloons. We thought they would be home in the afternoon, so immediately when we got home from swim lessons, Jordan would look out the window every 1/2 hour or so and ask "When is the baby going to be home." (We know his name, but I'll keep it private for the neighbors sake) We found out from neighbors they had to wait 48 after his birth to come home. They got home after 9:00 that night.

The next day was Wednesday. Early in the morning I received a phone call from a good friend in our ward. Spencer and her son are good friends and we are always trying to get together. We chatted for a while then she got really serious. She asked me how close I was to a certain family in the ward. I have known the mom since we were married-she was single when we got married, and has since been married and has had 2 children. I went over to help her try to nurse her first baby, but don't really know her on a real personal level. Well, her second baby, 6 months old died unexpectedly Tuesday evening. Wow, I couldn't believe it. I know he had been born early, spent time in the NICU and had some medical complications, but they blessed him a month ago and he seemed to be doing well.

Hearing this news really caused me to pause and reflect-one day the excitement of a new birth, and the next day the devastation and grief from the death of an infant. I received an e-mail that same day from a friend asking for a baby sitting swap so she could go to the memorial service for a family in her ward who experienced a stillbirth. Oh my, this sure does makes you realize how delicate life really is.

I did swap with my friend and was able to go to the funeral of this little infant from my ward. There were some excellent speakers who focused on the gospel and Plan of Salvation. One was very powerful and said that it wasn't about the baby anymore but about us-what were we going to do now...how were were going to make changes and make our life better so that we could return and life with our Father in Heaven again. It really made me think. I was also very moved by the testimony of the mother. She, although certainly very torn up inside, bore strong testimony of the Plan of Salvation and the fact that she knew she would see her son again. I was so impressed with her strength at that moment-I know that we are "shored up" when we need it most. She did ask for our continued prayers on her family's behalf because she could feel our love. I am just so thankful for the gospel in my life that gives us strength in these moments.