Whole new meaning

 I first saw this while sitting on our bed in Bar Nunn, three years ago.  It struck me so vividly that I have never forgotten it.  The reason, then, was because of her liver disease.  My sister, Keilie, had liver problems from birth and needed a transplant.  Like Annie from this video, she also would have died within 48 hours.  In fact, it was 12 hours before her 'deadline' that they found one, because volunteers were calling around the country asking for help.  It was a special video to watch the community come together like they did for my own parents, many years ago.

Last night, we were talking about Love for Family Home Evening.  When the lesson and game ended, we put on some Mormon Messages about showing our love.  This same video came in the mix.  However, the story hits home for a different reason now.

We had only lived in Richland for just over a year before Caden was flown to Seattle.  The first picture of Annie in the hospital took our breath away, we knew those rooms.  The 'community' of our neighborhood, ward, schools, friends, home wards, and family gathered around us so much, it was astounding to feel the outpouring of love that we were being given.  People came from all walk of life to give to us.  It was a powerful feeling that I will never forget.

As the Message progresses, he talks about meeting with Dr. Healy before the transplant.  Our breaths caught in our lungs- he was the Dr. that saved our child, too.  I know him.  I have shook his hand, have thanked him from the bottom of my heart.  He has changed our lives like he has changed theirs.

When the Message ended, we all just sat in our chairs, deep in our own thoughts.  It was a powerful feeling.  The Message is the same, but due to things that have happened to our family, we see it in a whole new light.  It no longer is a story that I could empathize with because of my childhood, it now is a story that I can relate to.  It is our story.  And, happily, we both have the same outcome.

Children that we hold in our arms, not in our memories.