That's Sawyer on the left.
Our camping trip changed on July 29th.
I was doing dishes and saw a couple talking to the kids at the foot of the campsite.
I thought to myself "That's look's like Ryan (my bil)!" and "That looks like Michelle (my sister)!"
Upon looking closer, I realized that it WAS them.
Right away, my stomach lurched and I felt sick.
This could not be good!!
Will did not take his cell phone along and mine was dead half the time so no one was able to get a hold of us the usual way. Kindly, Ryan and Michelle decided to drive 3 hours up to Alice Lake to give us the news about Sawyer's (Will's cousin's son), accident in person and we were so grateful that they did. It was a blessing to us that they did that.
We told the kids and had a good round of crying, mustered our courage and called Heather just as Sawyer was being
taken off life support and into glory. So hard!!!
We talked to her and Taylor quite a bit on Saturday and made the difficult decision to continue on camping but to come back to Langley on Sunday to be with Heather and Taylor. We especially wanted the kids to be in church on Sunday to hear the comfort of the gospel. We had Rev. Schouten and the Spirit led him to do an amazing sermon on the Widow's Son Risen From the Dead. We had lunch with Heather and Taylor and was just deep down good to be together on that day.
We went back to the camp later that afternoon with heavy hearts but comforted hearts as well.
Here he is on the left again holding Aleana at approx. 5 months old.
This was at Grandpa Faber's birthday party at Manoah Manor - 1998.
"Here Aleana, let me help you with your presents!!" This must be June 24, 1999. Doesn't she look alot like Mr. Benson? Oh yah....
Taylor and Mitchell are in the back and Sawyer and Aleana in the front.
Here, he's on the left again and we've added Ethan to the mix so this must be about Feb. 2001. or maybe later.
This is Ethan's first birthday - Nov. 2, 2001 and that's Sawyer, yes again on the left,
Aleana and Leah Bredenhof on the right.
Sawyer was honestly, always very gentle and sweet (here he is patting Ethan's head) and I never saw him get angry with any of our kids. HONESTLY. I am sure he had his moments and he wasn't perfect that's for sure (sometimes drove his Mom batty!!) but even as a teenager he would play with the littles and didn't mind spending time with them. It was not beneath him to play at their level, they always felt special and loved with him around and he would hug them every time.
I borrowed this picture from Aleana's blog (thanks Aleana!).
This was taken at the school dinner Spring 2014. That's Aleana on the left and Sawyer for once on the right :). He was a great cousin and ALWAYS gave me a hug every time I saw him.
One time, when I was pregnant with Madilyn I had to push him away from a potential hug, but I quickly explained "Sorry Sawyer, it's not you, it's your smell, I don't want to barf on you!"
All that AXE stuff - fine usually, not fine when nauseous.
He was cool with me not barfing on him. Thanks Sawyer.
Thank you LORD for all you gave us in Sawyer, continue to be with Heather and Taylor
and Geoff too as they must go on without their son and brother. Be near to them and love them only as you can, kindly, rightly and justly.
