Easton & Audrey, playin' together in heaven.

Thanks goes out to a good friend who provided this treasured visual ... which brings forth a whole new bout of tears every time I read it.

Yesterday morning, Sunday, Easton's heartbeat started increasing dramatically and doctors inserted a pacemaker to steady it. Unfortunately at around 3:30 he 'coded', CPR was performed to keep him alive, which was successful, and all the doctors were called in. They decided they had do emergency surgery there in his PICU room at 4pm to attempt to replace the bad valve with the too-big artificial valve, but within two minutes he was gone. No doubt about it, everything was done that could possibly have been done to save this precious life. Last Sunday afternoon when I held him there in the hospital on his pre-surgery day he was so squirmy and uncomfortable, what with one arm braced to keep his IV safe, and then monitor stickers all over him - 6 or 8 wires leading to a 3"x4"1" indicator box that had to come with him inside his blanket. I positively REJOICE that he is free of his earthly body and is safe in the arms of Jesus. But ... wow, he is sorely missed here. Jared and Stacy are absolutely devastated, needless to say; I'm thankful they are firmly grounded in their faith, have a healthy marriage, and are surrounded by loved ones who know the Lord.

Jeremy BARELY got to the hospital in time, but thankfully he was there. He had built enough rapport with the doctors that he was able to have some mutually-beneficial conversations with them, as well as be there for the family. We had a shortened attempt at an evening service two hours later (a song, the announcement about Easton's death, a prayer, and then two more songs and two more prayers), and then we received an invitation from the family that those who wanted to to join them on the third floor of the hospital were welcome. Fifty-five Grandview church folks went up and stayed an hour or longer. We filled the waiting room and then lined both sides of the hallway for many yards in both directions. The staff expressed their pleasure at our presence, and invited the 15 kids up through 4 10-year-olds to play in their "Preschool Play Room". As some of the nurses' shifts were ending, they were walking past us and sharing our grief. It was one of those times that was a terrible time but was also a 'good' time of purity and cleansing, healing sorrow.

Stacy posted a beautiful Facebook "note" (Facebook being their method of keeping friends and family updated) sharing some details of the hours after Easton's passing. I am so extremely grateful for the way the hospital and Jared and Stacy handled those hours. It actually has made me wish that Jeremy and I had done some things differently when Audrey died, but when I put myself back in the shoes we were in then, I easily recall the reasons we made every decision. (sigh)

Jeremy and I, and Lew and Linda (Lew being one of our two new elders) were able to stay at the hospital, out-of-the-way but accessible, until Jared and Stacy were ready to go home. It was a slow process, finishing their good-byes and getting packed from their family's week-long stay there, yet the walk out was one of the longest of my life, following Stacy and Jared carrying Easton's empty car seat.

Service arrangements have been set for Friday, and Jeremy has been asked to officiate. Jeremy, who gave so much of himself last week that he is now sick, today ... his 34th birthday. It will be a difficult week for many of us, but in your prayers for Easton's family and for the 'extended family' that is Grandview, please also, you, my treasured blog-reading loved-ones, I ask, specifically remember Jeremy to the Father, for bodily healing, and then clarity of mind and heart ... for all the obvious reasons.