They bring him to church with them every Sunday, they never miss a mass.
They sit toward the back in case he cries (which he never does) and, from my seat in the choir, I get to watch them play with him and make faces at him during the service.
He grins at every parishioner who stops by to smile at him or talk to him.
He coos.
He cuddles.
They dress him up like a little gentleman, ties and sweater vests and so on.
He started wearing winter hats (as it is now November in Detroit) and I can't get enough of seeing the monkey and baseball and newsboy caps.
They have waited a long time for him and he is their only child.
They make sure that every Sunday during communion they have him blessed by the priest.
This Sunday we celebrated the Annointing of the Sick Mass. This couple brought their sweet baby boy forward for healing. I cried.
All 3 priests spent several minutes praying over him and his mother and father. They annointed him with oil and laid hands on his little body.
This precious sweet baby has a very extreme form of Down Syndrome. His poor little heart has such a large hole in it you can hear the murmur when you stand next to him. He is undergoing surgery tomorrow to repair it, pray for him. But he will never be the son they dreamed they would have.
He will be so much more.
so much more
Update:
The baby tolerated the surgery well. His parents were able to take him home this past Saturday and he is progressing as expected. Blessed.
