We had no idea what lay ahead, but we could not get enough of our John John!
Here is a picture of a picture. He was about 2 weeks here. It was Christmas time. We were still learning what we were dealing with. John was born with half his heart. I think that was the main problem, but there were several other things wrong too. He ran (literally) right over his doctors predictions for him!
At one point he had a feeding tube placed in. But it wasn't for long.
These next few were from a hospital stay. My parents went to visit him
and took lots of pics with him.
Obviously, they were taken before his first heart surgery. There is no scar running down his chest. This had to have been taken before he was 6 months. He sure was swollen though.
Grandpa and Grandma were, by far, two of his favorite people!
Family weekend out at Grandparents house! I think he was happiest out there.
He'd just run and run.
Another family weekend.
Chucky Cheese was awesome! Make A Foundation gave Johnathon a wish, and since his 2nd surgery was 2 weeks away, we planned a Chucky Cheese day 2 days before we left for Dallas. He had an absolute ball! Make A Wish was happy to do this, but they let us know that when he got back from Dallas, he was getting a bigger wish. We were blown away by them. Unfortunately, Johnathon didn't get to make his big wish.
Everyone was on edge. We knew it was a very serious surgery. We were told, he probably won't make it, but if he did he could come out of it dealing with a whole slew of problems. We didn't care, we just wanted our Johnathon. This surgery had snuck up on us because he had been doing so well. He had started to decline pretty rapidly about a month before this surgery.
Holding grandbabies!(See his 3!! pacifiers? He loved them!)
Johnathon never recovered from his surgery. He went in Thursday of June 2006 and that Sunday he went into cardiac arrest. On Wednesday he went to be with our Father.
Someone emailed this letter to my mom, and she pasted it on to me. I am thrilled that John touched other lives, because he sure blessed mine. It is so hard for me to talk about him, I'm crying right now, but I am thrilled to shared my angel of a nephew with you!
Dear Billie,
Cindy G. shared your Email with me because I’ve wanted to share with you, for some time, how your little Johnathan touched my life one day.It was a Sunday morning a week or so before Johnathan’s Dr. appt. in Dallas. I was sitting on the floor in the 3 year old class at the Comanche Trail Church of Christ. Montessori method is used in that class, so everyone works their bible pieces on carpet squares in the floor. I was sitting on the floor in front of a bible work piece when Johnathan walked in. He came over to me and stood by me. I placed my arm around him and began to explain to him how the equipment was to be worked. He was grinning from ear to ear – never saying a word - listening, but smiling all the while. About that time, another boy entered the room, but not so happy. He was crying and getting more and more upset. Johnathan looked over at him, still smiling, but not saying a word. Another teacher went to the boy who was crying, trying to engage him in the work, to comfort him in any way to get him to calm down. About that time, a bug began to crawl across the floor, directly in between the 2 boys –(despite how disgusting that might sound ). Both boys began watching the bug make it’s way across the rug – Johnathan smiling – the other crying. Johnathan moved away from my arm toward the bug on the floor and I thought for a moment he might bend to pick it up but instead he raised his foot and stomped it back to the rug, aiming for the bug…. but he missed. The bug continued his journey, the little boy, however, was no longer crying. His eyes, as well as everyone else’s, were on Johnathan. Johnathan’s smile never waned, he raised his foot and aimed again, only….to miss again. This time though, a bubbly giggle escaped from his throat. He continued to repeatedly raise his foot in an attempt to smash the bug…..without success. Each failed attempt increased his giggles until he finally threw his head back and laughed that wonderful, kind of infectious laugh that comes from pure joy!!! A small sigh came from the little boy who had been crying, the corner of his mouth turned up and a giggle bubbled out …then the whole room exploded in laughter, as everyone watched Johnathan’s carefree spirit spread sunshine!!
Although I was laughing, there were tears in my eyes for the blessing of having been touched by this precious little child’s loving spirit! I often think of Johnathan and the gift of joy he gave to all of us that day! I’m sure he inherited his Grandma’s ability to laugh out loud ~ and I was blessed because of it!! I bet in heaven he keeps everyone LOL Hugs!!
Brenda Carver
Happy birthday baby boy!
Not a day goes by that I don't think about you.
We love you and miss you so much!!!
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