The beginning

On May 1st, we started Zachary on medication for his growth.  I'm not really going to go into much detail on this, because it is personal to Zach.  I have referenced Zach's growth before on this blog, and it is something we have been aware of for a long time, and we have been seeing an Endocrinologist in Grand Rapids for over a year.  Well, after quite a bit of testing, watching, praying and waiting we have decided to start him on some treatment.  This treatment involves a shot every day at bedtime, and will likely continue until he reaches puberty.  As is the norm with Zach, he has seemed pretty oblivious about all that has been going on.  He doesn't ask questions, he goes to the appointments, goes through all of the tests without questions.  He just plays while he is at the Dr.. and is just always in good spirits.  We often find ourselves questioning if he really even understands what is going on.  We have explained to him that he is seeing a Dr. because the Dr. wants to make sure he is growing big and strong.  We have also explained to him that his body just needs a little extra help because it's not working quite as well as it should, and that this is OK.  This is just how God made him.  We told him he was going to start having little pokes every night from now on to give him special medicine to help his body.  We've told him how thankful we are that God gave us this medicine to help. All along the way, Zach has not asked questions.. he just looks at us and says.. "OK, can I go play now?"  We are often left shaking our heads.. wondering if this is him not getting it, or if it is purely personality and how he will always be.  Well, on Monday night we had a nurse come out to train us and to help us give the first shot.  Zach loves to be big and brave, so we talked to him about that before his shot.  He held still, and did not shed a tear.  After the shot was over we asked him if it hurt, and he said "Nope", jumped down and ran off to play.  Again, we were feeling relief and just wondering if it was always going to be this easy.  Last night, night 2, the anticipation was a little more difficult for him.  He didn't really want the shot and he was trying to swat at it and move around. Afterwards, he said it didn't really hurt, and he seemed great.    All of this leads me to what happened today in the car.   Sometimes God gives us a glimpse of how he works on the inside of our children and it is amazing, and I had one of those moments with Zach today.  We were riding home from school and he asked me if we could hear God when he talks to us.  I said, "Well, not out loud, but we can hear God in our heart.  He helps you to know when you are doing something right and wrong, he can give you joy and happiness when you are sad, and he can make you feel brave when you are scared.  He is with you even when you don't see him."  Zach then says, "Yeah, like when I prayed to him last night about my pokes".  I said, "Yes, just like that.  When did you pray to him buddy?".  Zach then bows his head and says, "Well, last night, by myself, when you were downstairs,  I did this.....Dear God, please be with me during my pokes".   I kid you not, I had tears running down my face in the front seat of my car.  My heart was honestly going to explode out of my chest.  To hear that my Zach, who often acts like he is thinking nothing & gets nothing, who only prays the same prayer every night when we make him, talked to God all on his own, seriously blew me away.  I am so happy he is talking to God about this.  That when he was scared, he turned to God on his own... and asked God to be with him.   I said, "You know what buddy, Mommy is so happy to hear you asked God to be with you.  I promise you, he heard you and I promise you, he will answer you.  He will always be right with you during your pokes".  Amidst all of this craziness, and the questioning whether anything we say or do sinks in with our children, I caught a glimpse of God in my child's heart, and it was really amazing.  God gave me a little glimpse of how he has been working all along.  No matter what the outcome with Zach,  this is the most important part.  God gave me that reminder today.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your strength.  These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. "  Deuteronomy 6: 5-7

"Raise a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."  Proverbs 22:6

Zach's stats:  37.84" tall, 33 pounds, 4 years and 8 months old.