Twenty-One

 AJ at about 2

Today is AJ's Twenty-First Birthday!

This day has gotten here so fast.  The years, the days, the moments having him for my son, the blessing of being his mother .... so much fun!  So much joy!  He has brought so much, given so much to our family.  Having Arland was one of the best decisions we ever made.

He was born two months premature.  He was immediately taken from me and given to a neonatologist who worked hard to save his life.  The next morning Dr. Heller told me that they were only giving AJ 48 hours to live. 

I couldn't wrap my mind or my heart around that. 

I called my home teacher, Nathan Baker, who came to administer to my baby.  Of course, because AJ was so very sick he had a nurse assigned to care solely for him on their shift.  That's all they did, the only baby they cared for was him.

With AJ's nurses permission my home teachers came. They had to scrub up and put on those gowns to protect him.  They gave him a blessing, and the change was immediate.

Dr. Heller had told us that if AJ lived, he would be in the neonatal intensive care unit for two months at least.

He went home in ten days.

My gratitude to my Father in Heaven knows no bounds.

Happy Birthday to my sweet boy.  And many many more to come!