navygreen: (High)
I've mentioned Isaac before. I know so many of you remember him and his story, and I want to tell you just a bit more.

Isaac's nickname around his home was "Bubba Smiley." I believe his daddy coined the name, and I can understand why - Isaac was always smiling! Any time I ever ran into the family, Isaac was nothing but smiles and mischief. Truly, he reminded me so much of our own "Happy Jack," only he was possibly even more smiley and happy.

Even while battling his cancer. He was just that kind of kid, you know?

One day, his teacher gave a writing assignment to the class. Each student was to tell the story of a "bad day." Now, keep in mind that Isaac had been battling cancer for over 2.5 years at this point. Remember that he had received over a hundred blood transfusions, spent MONTHS in the hospital at a time, had bouts of chemo and radiation, and had even received a bone marrow transplant. Yet, he sat still at his desk, and he was not writing anything at all. After time passed, his teacher, concerned, asked him if he was having problems with some part of the assignment.

Isaac looked up at her and said, "Well, I've thought about it a lot, and I don't think I've ever had a bad day!"

...

Think through that one just a bit, will you? For me, deep inside, I yearn to be "like Isaac" when I'm all grown up. Wow.

Do you know the etymology of Isaac? "Isaac" means 'may God smile,' or 'He will laugh.' Shortly, the name means "laughter." And of course, it does - he is Bubba Smiley, after all! :-)



At Isaac's memorial service, we were all given a smiley face sticker to wear. Philip and I saved ours, putting them on a tin on our dresser to see every day when we dressed. In addition, we all wore green to the memorial - a special request from the family in keeping with Isaac's love of all things John Deere.

And it was for him and his family that I set out to make these very special cookies:



The cookies are for a special event - the 5th Annual Isaac C. Hall Superhero Blood Drive. Even at such a young age, Isaac was always helping to better life for those around him. After having to wait a few times for his own blood transfusions, he decided that wasn't good enough for all the sick kids of the world. He set up a blood drive so other kids would never have to wait like he had, and the blood drive surges forward now in his memory.

This time, after giving blood in honor of Isaac, donors will be able to snack on special treats that aim to help them know Isaac a little better - ones that will remind them to smile each and every day! :-)

More cookies. )
navygreen: (High)
And Isaac is gone.

He passed away tonight at 6:10pm.

Philip and I just told the boys together. We turned off the TV, the New Year's Eve celebrations, and we talked and cried. We prayed together, all of us.

I've talked to the boys several times about Isaac's cancer. We've been to a benefit dinner in the past, in addition to seeing him at church. A.J. went to preschool with Isaac's older sister Evelyn, and we've known the family since he was 2 years old (and Jack was then 1.5).

He died tonight at almost 8.5 years old.

Philip and I went to the candlelight vigil outside his home last night. We stood in a small arc of people, and all was silent. We prayed until our candle went out - about 45 minutes - and we were among the last five to leave. It was a somber, somber experience, and I'd never been to a vigil before.

I prayed so hard for Isaac's suffering to end. At the same time, I prayed for peace for the family and friends in dealing with their loss and grief. Tonight, when I first read the news, I sat absolutely still, and a feeling of peace washed over me.

In bouts, I'm ice-cold and shaking, and I am still sobbing. But, every 15 minutes or so, I have a couple minutes of stillness, of quiet, of peace. In those moments, I'm thankful my prayers were answered so quickly, and that Isaac is no longer suffering.

It is a beautiful thing to know that Isaac will not spend even one minute of 2009 in pain. Rather, he will be free, and he now has the perfect body to match his winning spirit. I'm sure he is already a champion in Heaven.

He certainly was down here.

Isaac.

Dec. 30th, 2008 03:46 pm
navygreen: (High)
My heart is absolutely breaking in two, and I can think of nothing else right now. Remember Isaac, the little boy with cancer that I have posted about in the past? These are his final moments.

I have cried and cried. I just ache for the Hall family. I just don't have the words...

I've shared his website before, but here it is again: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/isaachall

Please. Any prayers or words of comfort that you have, leave them there. The family needs all the strength and support possible right now.

Bless you, little Isaac. It's too soon, and it's not fair, but you have never faltered in your fight, and you have been braver than I could ever hope to be. Well done, kid. Well done.

*tears*
navygreen: (Mars heart)
I can say it. I'm not ashamed to say it. I think af_cop Philip is devastatingly handsome.
...
Of course, I'm probably biased towards that line of thinking, seeing as how he *is* my husband. But yeah, I think he's a very handsome man.

He left this morning to have his head shaved. Now, he's shaved his head only two other times in our marriage - once was during a haircut from a friend that was so botched it could only be salvaged by coming clean, and the other was during his tour in Saudi Arabia four years ago... and I only saw a picture or two of that time. He's joked now and again about shaving his head, but he's never really done it again because he knows that I can't stand it.

And there are some men that can pull it off very nicely (a little Vin Diesel, anyone?). However, Philip is NOT one of those men. In my opinion, bald looks silly, almost stupid on him. It makes him look like a bug, I think (though don't ask me to explain that - I can't, really - it just does).

When he mentioned he was going to shave his head, I was categorically upset. He knew how I felt about it, so he was quick to explain: he's doing it in support. He has a friend and co-worker with a 5-year-old little boy who has acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Actually, the mother of this little boy is a friend of mine as well, and she's in my Care Circle in Parents at Home. It's been a phenomenally rough year for this family, and I can't imagine what they go through on a daily basis with little Isaac's illness. Travis, the boy's daddy, promised him that he would shave his head when Isaac lost all of his hair to chemotherapy, and as a show of support, several men in the squadron decided to do the same. And Philip is one of those men.

So he left to have his head shaved. And I promise to look on his bald head with a new light this time - it won't be 'ugly.' It will be 'hope.' I think of my friend and her family often, but I'm sure my thoughts will triple during this time, as every time I see Philip's bald head, I'll be reminded of little Isaac.

And Isaac is surely a beautiful little boy.

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