Easter..."He did it so we would KNOW...."

This Good Friday, Rowan, his nurse Cindy and I went out to visit our friends the Patterson's

at their Ranch. The following are some pictures of our special day. 

 

One of the first things Rowan wanted to do was go visit Chrissie's grave. (For those of you who don't know, she is his special angel friend who died in PICU when she was just four years old and Rowan was just three, and they had just spent a month straight there in the hospital at the same time)

Rowan marched straight down the hill, not even really waiting for me to go with him. 

 

 

Once he got down to her beautiful pink gravesite, he turned and smiled.

 

 

  

He was so excited to see the special rock he had painted for Chrissie a while back, 

which he placed on her grave on her birthday, at the same time he released some butterflies that he had grown from caterpillars.  It used to have a beautiful, colorful butterfly he had painted on it,

but at least you can still see the "C" for Chrissie and the "R" for Rowan.

 

Rowan paused to pray for his special friend in heaven before heading back up to the house

to color eggs with her brothers and sisters.

 

 

Together they colored almost 100 gorgeous eggs! So beautiful!

 

Rowan did one extra special Easter Egg with a heart on it,

which he asked Lorraine if he could please go put on Chrissie's grave.



 

You have never seen someone take such tender loving care to carry an egg.

He cradled it with both hands, blew on it "to keep it warm" he told us, kissed it repeatedly, etc.

 

 

 Once there, he lovingly layed it on the very special stone at the foot of her grave.

This picture just makes my eyes well up with tears....

 

At sunrise service this morning they talked about the women who went to Jesus' tomb

to annoint him with oil, and how special a task that would have been. 

Rowan handled this moment in the same way I imagine they would have. 

He felt so honored to bring that one little humble egg to Chrissie's grave this Easter.

 

And of course he kissed he stone after he layed the egg there.

What a tender moment we witnessed.

 

 

  No words necessary here...

 

 

 

 

 

After we made our way back up the hill, Rowan spent a few moments with one of the dogs, Bluebell.  He loves this dog, especially because he loves his one blue eye and one brown eye.

He told us, "Bluebell really likes me, and knew I needed some lovin' today too."

 

 

Rowan was so happy when he left the Patterson's Ranch.

Once home, I asked him what was the best thing about visiting them for Easter.

His response, "All of it...but most of all, since I know Jesus raised up and went to heaven, and died for our sins, then it makes me happy to know that even though Chrissie is gone,

I know she raised up to heaven too, and she is up there with Jesus now!"

When I asked him what Easter was all about he said, "Jesus died on the cross and then he raised up to Heaven, and God did that so we would know." I asked him "So we would know what?" and his response was just "Mom, so we would KNOW!"

 

The rest of the weekend was great too, as you will see in the pictures below. 

However, the biggest message we heard and the best gift we recieved,

came from a visit to a grave...kind of ironic isn't it...or is it?

 

  

 

Blessing of the Easter baskets Saturday at Gruene United Methodist Church in New Braunfels,

at their AMAZING Helicopter Egg Drop.

 



 

Rowan waving to Steve the Helicopter Pilot.

 

Here it comes!

Awesome!

 



 

Though they dropped over 5000 Easter Eggs, Rowan just wasn't very aggressive, so he only ended up with one pack of candy that another girl gave him when she saw he didn't have any:-)

 

Rowan never cried or complained though, as a matter of fact when we got in the car he told us, "Well I didn't get a lot of candy but I got to spend time with my Mom and my Dad."  So of course, proud as can be, Dad had to take Rowan to the store and fill that basket up with candy.

 

Rowan's most favorite hospital staff person ever, Logan,

came out to spend the weekend with him too...what a treat!

And then it was time to decorate some more eggs...

 

Rowan

 

his brother Ian

 

his sister Zoe

Zoe and Bobby hard at work:-)

 

 

Their finished work.

 

His.

 

 

Thank you once again Matt and Lorraine Patterson for opening your hearts and your home to Rowan so he can stay connected to Chrissie here on Earth, and continue to make those Heavenly connections with her as well.  We all learn from each and every experience he has,

but immeasurably from the ones he has in your home and at your ranch:-)