Thank you for your many prayers...just so you know, they were answered, perfectly.

Not that I doubted you, your prayers, or most importantly, the Lord's ability to answer them!  He certainly showed out this time and because of that, I must share with you this one awesome example of it from the day of Middle Child's surgery. 

As you know, Middle Child was very nervous.  I had emailed many, many friends and family asking for their prayers, with more detailed, specific requests than I shared here on the blog.  One of the more pertinent requests on that list was that they would lift up Middle Child's anxiety toward the IV needle and process.  This was by far the aspect of surgery that he worried about the most.  

He worried about it for 5 days at home, prior to the surgery. Only 5 days, because he didn't know the date of the surgery any sooner than that. 

He worried about it before he went to sleep at the hotel. (10:00 p.m.)

He worried about it when he woke up bright and early at the hotel.  (4:20 a.m.)

He worried about it while the nurses took his vitals. (5:45 a.m.)

He worried about it while he put on his hospital gown. (6:15 a.m.)

And then, around 6:45 a.m.....he quit worrying.  Because of your prayers and because of some news he received from the Head Anesthesiologist (which was also, I'm sure, because of your prayers that this topic was even brought up).

She walked in and introduced herself.  (Already several of the surgical team had stopped by to check on things and do whatever they had to do for their "part").  She chatted with him for a bit and found out about his dislike towards the IV process.....she talked him through some of it and then before leaving she turned to ask..."What scent did you choose to smell?"

"Ummm.... I haven't chosen a scent."

She turned and walked right back over to his bed, leaned in real close to his bedside to look him straight in the eyes and gave him the BEST NEWS EVER....."Well, what do you like, strawberry, watermelon, Dr. Pepper, orange, chocolate mint, cherry....we will put that scent in the mask for you to smell and then we will do the IV.....AFTER you go to sleep. You won't feel a thing."

You see, all Middle Child knew of IV's came from either his ambulance ride from the school playground that day last May when he broke his leg, or the second time in the ER at Children's after being transported yet again.   The IV's were put in place long before surgery that first time around.....and he was awake for each one.  And he watched each one.  And he remembered what each one felt like. So....like many adults I received emails from....he was anxious about any needles coming near him again.

Those fears were subsided in that instant when she asked him again...."So, which smell do you want?"

He chose Dr. Pepper.  And smiled the biggest smile we had seen all morning.  He knew it was going to be okay.  We all knew it was going to be okay.  It was an answer to prayer.  Who knew prayer requests could be answered through Dr. Pepper?   Our amazing God, that's who!

Middle child came back to the patient room after a few hours, (surgery and recovery time)....and of course he was a little groggy.  But not too bad, actually.  One of the first things his Daddy and I asked him was how he liked the Dr. Pepper scent.....this was his reply:

"The laughing gas smelled like Dr. Pepper....and it was fine.....but the sleeping gas smelled like jet fuel.....and it was bad. In fact, it made it hurt to raise my head."

Oh, Middle Child, you are so observant it scares me sometimes.  He was no fool.  They might have made him feel a litte relaxed with the cool 23 flavors of the soda of choice, but it didn't knock out his sense of smell for the hard stuff that followed it!!!

So thanks.....seriously, to each of you for your prayers, thoughts and concerns. I'll be happy to repay the favor anytime you need it!  Prayer is powerful....in the big and small things of life. And it does not go unnoticed by any of us.  In fact, I'll share one other story with you before I go....because I want it here so I can look back on it again someday. 

On the day before his surgery, I checked Middle Child out of school early.  One of  his best friends at school is a boy we'll call " T ".  As we were walking up the hallway to exit the school, he said, "Mama,  T told me he put me on the prayer list at his church."  

I said, through teary eyes,...."that's wonderful....and it was so sweet of T to do that....there are many folks praying for you, and God is listening to each one." 

He said, "yeah, when T told me that it made me feel really good inside."

I know son, I know. That feeling is precious. Hold onto it forever.