Jonah

I guess it's kind of odd that I haven't written anything yet about baby Jonah, but I haven't really known what to write so I just...haven't. Not for lack of thinking or talking about him, because he has been a reality and a topic of conversation at our house for months now. Tonight after watching a video of his mom holding him, I feel compelled to share a little of his story with you.

Some of you know that my nephew Jonah was born on Saturday with full Trisomy 13. Harry and Dawn (my brother and sister-in-law), who live near my parents in California, found this out at his level II ultrasound last spring and have been preparing since then for the eventuality of his birth and death. They hoped he would make it full term and that they would have a few minutes to hold him. Now he is 3 days old, after being born 7 pounds at 40 weeks, and home from the hospital--all miracles. His condition has been up and down--he was doing really well on Saturday and Sunday, then not as well Sunday night, then a little better on Monday, then worse today. He is surrounded by his family and lavished with love on all sides.

I'm not flying out for a few more days (my 2 sisters who also live far away are flying out too) and although I have been hoping so hard to be able to meet him and hold him when I get there, I don't know that that will happen. There's pretty much no real way to know in advance when he will die although his struggles to breathe are an indicator. My kids have been telling me ever since I told them about baby Jonah that he is going to live with Jesus and Heavenly Father, but somehow that isn't something I want to think about quite yet. Little Jonah's condition, caused by an extra chromosome on the 13th pair, caused several deformities, both internal and external, which make it difficult and ultimately impossible for him to live here on the earth with us for very long. When I talked to Harry yesterday he said it's like Jonah's running a marathon. 3 days isn't very long for most people but for little Jonah it might feel like a long, tough race that he signed up for long ago and is now in the thick of.

I have been thinking constantly about Harry and Dawn, mourning with them from thousands of miles away. They are such loving parents and take such good care of their kids. I'm drawn again to 3 Nephi 17: "He took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when he had done this he wept again; And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones." This has been the first experience I have had of loving someone so much whom I haven't met. I can feel his little spirit so strongly. I feel so much love for such a tiny boy who lives so far away.

Thank you for your prayers and support so far for this wonderful family. I am sure that Harry and Dawn and Jonah, and Jonah's 2 brothers and 2 sisters, could use some more....and more, and more.

-Eliza