Overwhelming Gratitude

In our lives we have ups and downs, pains and joys, as well as those lovely "growth promoting" experiences. The birth of our latest bundle of baby goo has brought a remembrance of the important things in life back into focus. The power of God has been evident through the pregnancy, during the labor process, in birth, and now even further in our latest experience. We have been humbled and awed by the power given to us to act in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The power of the priesthood and the love of our Heavenly Father have been made manifest in our home over the last two months with power that I have not seen since my mission days.

A couple of weeks ago our little Chuck decided to start throwing up after he would eat. As time progressed he started losing more and keeping less. Janet got so good at it that she would feed him next to a garbage can and when he would make "the face" or "the sound", she would calmly point him at the can and really cut down on laundry duty! She read a doctor's opinion which said puking was a laundry issue not a health issue for babies, plus she had a friend that told us all of her babies were pukers, and even spoke with her midwife about it. We thought we simply had an Up-Chuck-er...end of story.

On Monday Janet took him in to get weighed at the doctor's office because his puking was so bad we weren't sure if he was getting anything at all. He was obviously losing weight and looked scrawnier than when he was born. I had to sleep in the recliner so he would be sleeping in an upright position and wouldn't choke in the night. Janet had her whole afternoon planned out: she would run by the doctor's office, then go to Wal-Mart, then to Harmons to get produce and some things for dinner and run a few errands as well. She said she would be gone a while...(little did she know!)

Janet ended up going downstairs from the pediatrician's office to have some images done, and then they sent us to the ER to start surgery prep and stabilization. We were told that he had a case of pyloric stenosis, yeah just follow the link... They had to cut open our little 5 week-old baby boy in order to make him feel better. My brother Bryan and I gave him a blessing, and once again the upside down state of my life was righted and I was at peace.

His surgery went well and we were told that his stomach was quite distended and his pylorus muscle was huge for his size. We have been in the hospital for 2 days now waiting for him to recover and his stomach to adjust to taking food again.

We are FILLED with gratitude that we live in a day when this can not only be diagnosed, but also treated. I am humbled that...due to no effort on my part...God has allowed us to live in this day of miracles. My wife and I do not need to sit and watch our little son slowly starve to death and not know why or how to stop it. Then I am reminded of situations like my brother Brad and his amazing wife Jaaga and what they have gone through...and are still struggling with...in the life of their little Amanda.


I am grateful that I not only live in a world of the restored gospel, but that I have a testimony for myself. Our God has a plan for us, grand and also on a very personal and intimate level. He wants us to be successful and the priesthood power is the secret weapon he has given us to use not only against temptations, but also for our trials and as a life-line when in our pains and sorrows.


When life gets too hard to stand...Kneel.