Scary Moment at the Mall

I was standing in the pizza line with the boys and Emily in the early evening. Taking a time out from eating at home and meeting up with all five kids for dinner. It's the second time in two weeks we have done this and had become a summer highlight.

I watched a very large man with headphones walk passed our little group. I noticed that something was not quite right with him and then observed an older couple loving on him. I then realized that he had some kind of brain dysfunction and really was not right. We went about our pizza ordering when all of a sudden this man started having a seizer. His very large body losing control. His elderly father trying to hold him up, he was throwing up and losing his bowels. I was about three feet from him and if anything shifted in our direction this man may take out the three boys. I was scared and did not want my boys to see this. I tried to herd them towards Emily away from this scene. The mother was yelling to get him into a chair, but his dead weight kept his dad from being able to move. Eventually he did fall into a chair and I tried to get out the area quickly.

We moved onto Subway and I sat the boys down while I ordered for the rest of the family. The boys had a good vantage point of paramedics and then the questions began. It was all I could do to not start crying, but Ethan knew I was on the corner of tears. He even asked if I was going to cry. I said I am trying not too. I was really scared. I was sad for these parents. I was grateful for my deaf child. I was scared.

Ethan asked what was wrong and we tried to explain that he was born with part of his brain not working right. He wanted to know why all those things were happening to his body and I tried to explain what a seizer is and means. Finally I said "Ethan when you were born your ears did not work right. Your brain works fine. This man's brain does not work right, so these things happen to his body". Ethan got quiet. For about five seconds the entire table was quiet then Ethan said "mommy when he goes to heaven God is going to give him new brain". The words in this blog can not begin to communicate the power of this little boy's words. I started crying, Elliot started crying and we all just had this moment of peace in our hearts. The Holy Spirit is working in the life is this young boy. It was then I felt free to just cry.

My heart ached for these parents, yet the love they showed for him was so amazing and evident. I am still thinking about this and very much moved by how this scene has taught our family in a very real way how blessed we truly are.