O Glorious Day

Today was a day of Rejoicing! for our family because of two very special reasons.

First of all, it was Easter and Jesus Christ is Risen! and Alive! and One day He is coming again ... 

Now that is something to Celebrate! and to look forward to.

Because that will be one Glorious Day ... as it was over 2,000 years ago.

And secondly, today our youngest child, Luke Robert Grade, turned 8-years old. 

A birthday on Easter Sunday! - now that is something to celebrate - yet, more importantly, I celebrate:

His Life!

The Story of his Life is worth sharing with all of you, my readers, because it is a Story worth telling.

If it weren't for the gift of Luke ... I, Lori, would not be who I am today. 

My heart wouldn't have been "stitched up" in the way it has ...  

Healed

My soul would still have a wound on it that I know I never would've recovered from.

When Luke was placed in my arms safe and healthy on this day 8 years ago, I knew what a priceless gift I was truly being given. I knew how many buckets and buckets of tears that I had shed in order to get to that place of holding him in my arms. I knew how hard that broken road had been to walk on. I knew how many times that I had fallen off of it and just couldn't get back up.

And I knew that saying Thank You to my God would never be enough.

Those two simple words for all that we had been given.

As my tears soaked the top of his sweet little newborn head ... and his eyes & heart connected with mine ... and I took in all of his newborn smells & noises ... all I felt was Joy... indescribable joy...something I never experienced before. Not like that. Not in that way.

I simply felt heartfelt gratitude for being given the opportunity, the privilege, the honor ... to be his Mom ... after all that we had lost.

You see ... Luke came into our family after we had walked a very long road of grief, sorrow and loss. It began when our daughter, Emily Rose, died on July 4, 2001 - just 5 days before my due date. An autopsy showed no obvious cause of death. 

We were left with many unanswered questions.

In one single moment our lives were changed forever. 

Then we had to also say good-bye to our twins on 11/29/01 ... as well as another baby in the spring of 2002 and also on July 4, 2002.

I fell into a "pit" that I never, ever thought I would be able to get out of - this is called Grief.

After all, parents aren't suppose to bury their children first. It just isn't suppose to work that way. 

But unfortunately, it does - all of the time.

Yet, that is the hand we were dealt, and it hasn't been an easy hand to play. But I have had to learn how to play it in the best way I knew how - one foot in front of the other. One day at a time.

 I do know for sure that I have never walked it alone ... the broken road that led to the birth of our son, Luke.

Because I know that all 5 of our precious babies are in a really good place ... a place that my own finite, human, limitless mind can't even possibly imagine... a place called Heaven ... and that all is well ... 

it is because of this belief that I have peace.

That peace is also what allowed me to press on ... to Hope again ... to trust that weeping may endure for a night, but joy does come in the morning. That promise from God Himself from Psalm 30 is what I clung to in my darkest, loneliness nights. 

Because that is all I had. He is all I had. And He has been faithful to me.

So when Luke was placed in my arms by Dr. Margaret Carr at St. Joseph's Hospital 8 years ago today,  it just felt like our world was made whole once again. 

A new life ... a new beginning ... 

All at the perfect time with spring in the air and everything else coming to life as well.
 

So today as we celebrated Easter with our family, we also celebrated and embraced the time that we've been given with our Luke.

As his mom on his birthday, the one who his life came through, I would like to shower some love and praise on our little boy who's name means Light.

Luke just has this Light about him that Shines right on through his small, tough little boy body. He is tough - that is for sure! He is "all boy".  He is not afraid to get dirty. In fact, the dirtier, the better. He has so much energy and a zest for Life that I stand in awe of him. 

He can take down his older brother Matthew in a flash {who by the way is 6 years older than him}!

Yet, he has such a tender, soft side to him that will just simply melt your heart. 

He is always the first one to notice when someone's feelings are hurt, or when someone needs help. 

He just loves so simply and so freely. 

So as this day comes to a close and the kids get tucked safely into their beds, I think over this day and all the wrapping paper flying here and there... and Luke 'practicing' on our kitchen floor with his new roller blades ... and all the sugar he has consumed in just a 24-hour period! ... to time spent with loved ones ... to celebrating our Risen Savior and Lord ... and all I can say is that this was a day lived really well.  

A day worth remembering. A day worth Celebrating! 

I hope it was for you and your family too.

Happy Easter to you & your family~

Happy 8th Birthday, Luke Robert Grade !
Shine your Light!
You are LOVED beyond measure!