Best Friend Fun

(Originally Posted May 29, 2009)

I just want to thank you for your prayers. To say that last week was perfect would probably be an understatement. God answered your prayers and provided a peaceful, fun, and relaxing visit for our family (Amy, Jon, Micah, and Camden.) We had an amazing time showing them some of our favorite places in Tampa, finding new places to explore, laughing with (and at) Micah and Drew and their crazy mischief, relaxing by the pool and staying up late talking every night.But amidst the perfection there was, and always will be, something missing... Aaden. Amy wrote me when she got back home and said "we had the BEST vacation with our BEST friends... our vacation was pretty much close to perfect- however... it was incomplete and imperfect because Aaden was not there with us..." On Monday we had an Aletheia Tampa beach activity for Memorial Day and it was unbelievable. Five people were baptized to demonstrate publicly their relationship with Christ. (Read more about that on Aaron's blog.) For whatever reason (despite the amazing day) Camden decided that he was not happy. He was so sad, just crying and crying... so I finally offered to take him. I know exactly that feeling of complete exasperation when a baby will not stop crying and I wanted to help. So, I held Camden for the first time since Aaden died. And of course he stopped crying. God has unique ways of guiding us through the healing process. He knew that I would not have held Camden under other circumstances, it's just too hard. But Amy needed my help, and God knew that He could tug at my heart that way. The first of everything is hard after such suffering, the first trip to the grocery store, the first Sunday back at church, the first Christmas... and for me, the first time I would hold my nephew that reminds me so much of my little boy. God used those moments on the beach to heal another piece of my heart. He showed me once again that He is control, that He is a loving God and that He will never leave me alone. He put His arms around me and gave me the strength do to do something I had not found the strength to do and had actually ran away from for the past 6 months. I love that sweet little Camden... and I am so thankful for his life and what God has in store for him.Thank you for your prayers. I am blessed to have friends and family like you.