At 4:45am this morning Thomas met His Healer and will no longer feel any pain. One of the most precious things today was talking with Celidia – a caretaker in the Miriam Center. She loved little Thomas like he was her own. The small service was held at 4pm and we loaded the casket and the workers on the back of the truck and went to the cemetery. As some of the workers got out of the truck Celidia was too emotional to stand-up. Courtney and Beth went ahead with the rest of the workers and I sat back on the truck with her. She told me that we’ve been to too many funerals together. I shook my head yes. She asked me why does God take all her children?

Thomas was a child from the Miriam Center with hydrocephalus. We watched him as a perfect little baby with perfect little skin and a beautiful smile  turn into a child that cried in enormous pain, who’s head continued to grow until he became blind, and his weight wasted away to nothing. He wasn’t simply a child of God – but he was also the child of every worker who took care of him.

We watched Celidia before – when she would gently hold him, sing to him, and wipe the little  tears that would stream down his face. She took time to love on him – to value you him. Yes – he was definitely her little boy.

But I gently reminded her – that even though he is her little boy – he was God’s little boy first. I told her that today is sad but it’s also a beautiful day for Thomas. He got to  see the face of Jesus this morning. What better arms to hold him? What better face to smile at? I picture God tickling under his chin and finally Thomas is able to smile – – a smile we haven’t seen for weeks.

I believe Celidia’s crown will be too heavy to wear. I told her that maybe God placed her here so she could be the mother to all these children – so that they can feel valued  and loved before they go Home to meet their Daddy.

I believe that the babies who pass through this world that we get the pleasure of loving on – will remember us in Heaven. I told Celidia to imagine the day when she walks through those gates and she sees all these little babies clapping and smiling….no more tears will she wipe as they yell and  run to her. To imagine that day when she gets to reunite with all her children. What a magnificent day that will be!