Sawyer James

[27 September 2015] Sunday

This blog post is devoted to our grandson Sawyer James, son of Sam and Mollie.

Sam and Sawyer - August, 2014

Sawyer - September 2015 - from Mollie's Facebook page.

We have 13 amazing, beautiful, intelligent, kind, loving, wonderful grandchildren from Gordon who is 11 years old down to our newest, Violet Josephine, born to Matt and Lisa on August 4, 2015.

I could and might even write about each one of these wonderful grandchildren, but this time is about Sawyer James.

Sawyer is a very smart, mature six year old. He is the only child of our youngest son Sam.

First of all, it is my belief, because of a blessing that Mollie received from her father before Sawyer was born, that Sawyer chose his parents. I also believe with all my heart that Sam and Mollie are the best parents Sawyer could ever have.

Sawyer is a delight to be around. He is almost always happy and quite entertaining. He can tell funny jokes and interesting stories. He is also very fun to play games with. When he was very little, barely talking, he would make up games and we would play them over and over.

As he got older he enjoyed playing Skylanders on the Play Station. Now this grandma doesn't hardly ever play video games, so when Sawyer wanted to teach me, I was a little nervous about my ability to learn. However, through his patient tutelage, I learned well enough to play. He didn't even get frustrated with me but kept encouraging me with words like "you can do it Moggie".

I mentioned that Sawyer is very entertaining. When he was about three or four, he and his dad were having dinner with us. My sister and mother and probably Emily were all there too. Sawyer told us we all needed to think of two things, he made a cute gesture with his fingers and said "a couple of things". We all in turn said a couple of things. We still quote "a couple of things" using his cute gestures.

Sawyer loves and remembers people. Even when he hasn't seen someone for a while, he remembers them, name and all. He makes us all feel important and loved. His smile could melt your heart. He is sensitive to those around him. When I have coughed or sneezed in his presence, he always makes sure I'm OK.

Sawyer is inquisitive and has always asked questions. A "questionable character" like his Grandpa Lyon. When he was quite young, I remember him asking questions or figuring things out. I often heard him say, "Right, Daddy?"

Sawyer can do hard things. I have seen him get woken up very early, even before the sun gets up, even when it was very cold outside, to go to his other Grandma's or his Mom's house. He never complained or got cranky, he just was happy to be with his dad and obeyed and loved him. Or when his dad has been sick, Sawyer has taken care of him. He is also always willing to help with cooking or cleaning, etc. even if it's hard.

Sawyer is doing something very, very hard right now. Since July 29th, Sawyer had been baffling the doctors at Primary Children's Hospital. He was finally diagnosed with VSAA, Very Severe Aplastic Anemia. It's a very rare and very serious deficiency of all types of blood cells caused by failure of bone marrow development. He has had 12 transfusions and 3 bone marrow biopsies  He just finished ATG treatments intravenously through a PICC line which took four days in the hospital. The treatment can take up to six months to see the full effect. He is considered transfusion dependent probably for the next month. If the treatment doesn't work they will most likely do a bone marrow transplant.

Upon returning home after the ATG treatment, he was experiencing severe pain so back to the hospital they went. He was diagnosed with a bacterial  infection called Neutropenic Enterocolitis and will be in the hospital at least another week.

All through this ordeal he has kept his sweet happy attitude. He wants to know everything they do to him and asks very good questions which the medical staff seem happy to answer. He is a light to his parents and all around him. He doesn't complain, he just does it. He is very brave. Sawyer is a little hero.

There is a scripture in the Book of Mormon found in Mosiah 3:19 that says:

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

We gave a Family Home Evening lesson to the missionaries here about that scripture. I told them about our Sawyer. I believe his sweet personality and the experiences he has had have helped him develop these qualities and will help him get through this hard trial in his life.

Sawyer is an example to me, he is brave, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things, and he's happy just being with his dad. I want to be more like him. I also want to be happy just being with my Heavenly Father and doing His will, without complaint, the way Sawyer is with his Daddy.
Thank you Sawyer. I'm so glad I know you. I love being your Moggie.

Last of all, yesterday in our preparation meeting at the beginning of our Temple shift President Jensen mentioned this quote, which touched my heart: "Recuerdo también las promesas" or "Remember also the promises".

It's hard for grandparents to be away when our children are going through hard things, but we have been promised that our children will be taken care of while we are serving. That doesn't mean they won't have trials, but that they are in the Lord's hands. I believe that with all my heart. We have felt that.

I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father who has a wonderful plan of Happiness for His children. I'm so grateful that Jesus Christ atoned for everything that can beset us in this life, sin, suffering, pain, heartache, everything. I know He experienced it all individually for everyone who has ever and who will ever live on the earth. I don't know how He did it, but I know He did. I know it because a wise and loving Heavenly Father gave us the Holy Ghost to testify to us of these truths. This is my testimony to you in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.