He was the Lucky One By Bambi Lynn

Two Young kids are at the airport, with their belongings on their backs, they are starting a new life together. Married but just a few days, Believing Love conquers all. The innocence of those two young kids thinking nothing could stop them, they had the world in the palms of their hands because they held each other's, thinking nothing could get in the way of their new life as husband and wife.

California seemed so far away, but my son was stationed there so there was no choice., We had gone a few months back so my future daughter in love could see what she would be getting herself into being so far away from family and friends and living so far from civilization. My son was stationed in a training fort, in the desert, and miles from nowhere. You couldn't just get into the car and go to the nearest town because it was an hour away. They would be secluded from any of family. That was a good thing because now they were married. We would all be looking forward to seeing them at Christmas.

I received a few calls talking about their everyday life and the food my daughter in love could cook. One time I had mentioned how my son loved my rice pudding, the response back was, he didn't need mine anymore as he has hers now. I was shocked and hurt that my rice pudding had been replaced and my son's heart was no longer hidden with mine but, now was replaced by hers. That was only the first shock, the second was when they said, they had decided not to come home for Christmas. I thought they were joking, as my son did that all the time. But this time it was no joke. I couldn't hold back the tears, plus the rejection I felt. I was devastated but, it was their life now not mine. so, I just let it go, but also pondered how I could see them during Christmas?

I had come up with a plan, when I talked to the rest of my children, asking what their plans were for Christmas.  I realized all of them weren't going to be around. I started planning a trip to the Grand Canyon. I decided to give my son a call and asked whether I could come for Christmas and the three of us could go to the Grand Canyon together. The both of them talked it over and said I could come. I was really surprised by their answer. but surely wasn't going to question it for one minute just in case they changed their minds and realized they just said yes to me coming for Christmas.

I was so excited to get on that plane and head to Las Vegas where I would get a rental and drive to my son's new home. I got in pretty late but, to excited to even sleep. When I got downstairs i saw both of them dressed in one-piece grinch pajamas. I knew it had to be love because it looks funny, and my son went along with it We started opening up Christmas gifts. I was handed a box which I opened, and a piece of paper was in the box, with the words written," your gift was in the back order and wouldn't be coming till July." I had no idea what that meant and kept reading it over and over again until I realized it was a BABY. I was shocked and bewildered, as We all knew that a baby may not be in the cards for both of them because my precious daughter in love had a lot of health issues. One of them would be the need for a liver transplant and the other was female issues. We knew that from the beginning that it wouldn't be easy for her to get pregnant, well i guess it was easier than we all thought. I can't tell you how thrilled and scared I was at that moment. I had a lot of concerns but, I knew My God and he had the situation all under control. I was going to have my eighth grandchild, the number of new beginnings.

The pregnancy wasn't easy on my daughter in Love, the baby was fine and was growing normally. It was the health of her that we were all concerned. The doctors informed us that if she could get to twenty-four weeks, they would take care of the rest. They were excited to find out that they would be parents of a little boy and decided to name him Isaac Joseph, Isaac meaning Child of promise. Joseph after her father. A perfect name for a perfect child. My daughter spent a lot of time in the hospital on complete bed rest. She was being monitored closely. We never stopped praying for her to reach 24 weeks. that was the target and that is what we believed.

On March !7th of 2019, My girlfriend and I had planned a day in NYC, The Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, a history car ride through the streets of NYC the way they were in the 1900s, then lastly a carriage ride through Central Park. We spent the day laughing, and getting ripped off by cab drivers but, had a lot of fun, Until I received a text message from my son, saying, my daughter in love was rushed to the hospital and taken by helicopter to Los angles children's hospital. I still had no care in the world as the doctors told us, if she got to 24 weeks they would take care of the rest, so I continued on our plans and got into the carriage for our ride through Central Park. I wanted to celebrate that I would be a Nona for the eighth time by the nights end, as our carriage was coming to an end, I received another text message from my son, stating Today will be Isaacs lucky day, as he will be placed into the arms of Jesus. That was the last text or call I would receive from my son for seven long days. I didn't know what to do but, to get to the train and head back to the Hotel. My head was spinning, and so many unanswered questions and nobody to ask. That train ride was the longest I had ever been on. I think time stopped and I couldn't catch up or stay still like time. I had so many questions because the doctors said, twenty-four weeks, she was 23 weeks and six days. I got to my hotel finally, I was in the elevator when I got a facetime ring on my phone, and it was my daughter in love, my phone was being funny because I was in the elevator, I couldn't wait to get to my room, and everything seems to be going wrong. we had to stop at each floor and then my card was giving me trouble to get in my room. But finally, I sat down and heard my daughter in love say, would you like to meet your grandson? The first thing that silly girl said, I will show you the best part last. My precious daughter went inch by inch of that little boy, A mothers love a soft touch of her hands as she told me everything about my grandson, he so beautiful mom, look how little he is, Mom he's so soft, my heart has exploded with love for my son. he is so perfect. I continued to let her talk, this was her time, this was her moment. If I spoke, I think I would have lost it, but, I couldn't. I needed to be strong. This precious girl was losing her son, he was going to be the lucky on St, Patrick's day, as soon he would be in the arms of Jesus. My daughter asked me if I was ready to see the best part of her son? holding back the tears, I told her I couldn't wait any longer, she took the blanket off of Isaacs feet and said, see he has his daddy's feet, he is going to grow up and be just like his daddy. I don't know how I held back the tears at that moment, but I did this was still her moment and I wasn't going to take that away. I could see how weak she was and how she was trying to hold on and not dose off to sleep. she was trying so hard to keep her eyes open. She knew she didn't have time and not one second was going to be wasted. She was now a mommy to a beautiful baby boy Isaac Joseph, the greatest sacrifice she will ever make in her lifetime, giving her baby back before she was ready to. I don't remember How the call ended. But the feeling of the love she showed me in those moments I will forever hold dear to my heart. I would have never known my grandson if she didn't give me those moments.

 That evening, I went to bed broken, I had so many questions and no answers. First time I wished I had someone to hold me and take away this pain. I don't know what time I fell asleep but, I woke up in a drenched hotel bed from my tears and complete heartache, I heard from some of my children but, not from my son. I kept praying for the journey that they would now be on, not one that neither one of them planned. How would these two young twenty-year-old get through something like this? I was numb the next day but, couldn't stay in my hotel room. so, I went to work. I would get bits of pieces of what had happened through the rest of the family. I didn't expect to hear from my daughter in love. I wouldn't have even known what to say. She would go home with no baby in her arms but, snuggled within her heart. She would have so many questions. like all of us, but hers would be intense. She would have to walk into the nursery they had set up, I had just sent them the whole bed set for his crib. I had also sent them money for whatever they needed, never for a moment Did I think it would be needed to bring them home to bury their precious baby and my grandson. 

When I went to their home during Christmas, we walked up a mountain at the army base. I think it was like a two mile walk but, seemed farther because of the rocks we climb over and the incline. But when we finally got to the top, there was a cross, and a stone that the words grace was on and John 3:16 on another stone. I remember feeling I was on Holy Ground, and I got on my knees and started to pray, they both thought I was crazy but, it was an overwhelming feeling. I cried and felt the presence of God on that mountain When Isaac Died my son went back up that mountain and wrote his name with spray paint on one of those rocks. My grandson had a memorial that whoever would climb to the top of that mountain, they would see his name and know he did live and made a difference in the few hours we were granted to know him before he was placed into the arms of Jesus.

We all prepared for the memorial that would take place in Buffalo New York. My grandson would be buried and given a stone. So, all would know he did live and impacted lives during his short time we were gifted to have him in our lives. The Hardest thing I have ever seen was seeing my son and his wife sitting in front of this small box that held their hopes and dreams, that held their love story in the form of their child. That box held the greatest sacrifice that any parent would have to give. I looked at them, wishing in some way I could take that pain away from them. How does a mom say goodbye, why did my son and daughter have to say goodbye before life even started for their little boy? Why were they given this cross to bare? This question may never be answered until we all reach glory but, they are still questioning that God understands. A piece of us was left at that gravesite that day and a hole was replaced in our hearts.

As we walked away from that cemetery and laid our little boy to rest, we went on with our lives. Some may not even think about him anymore, as it has been five years this year. More grandchildren have been born and new marriages have taken places. The loss of this precious little boy was too much to bare for these two young kids and both moved on. My daughter in love and I still speak as we will always have Isaac to keep us bonded together. She had told me one time, that I would have been a great Nona to him, and he will always be my grandson. The last time we saw each other she gave me the greatest gift, the blanket that they wrapped Isaac in on the day he was born. It sits with my ragdoll, both are very special to me

 Last year when I went home to New York, I felt an urge to go to the gravesite where Isaac is laid, I thought I remembered where he was and cried when I got there because I couldn't find him, how could I not find my grandson, I was his Nona? I called his mom and she walked with me on the phone to where he was. I got off the phone with her and laid down a blanket and toys I had bought for him, A tractor, some cows and other farm animals. I sang Old McDonalds to him and farmer in the dell at the top of my lungs like I would of if he was sitting in front of me. i had such a precious time with him, even with the ducks bothering me. I needed that time and I needed to feel like a Nona to him that day. I pictured him in heaven telling everyone, that's his Nona

Today, March 17th is the fifth birthday of my grandson, I can hear my sons text saying, Isaac is the lucky one today as he will be in the arms of Jesus. I wanted to do something today to celebrate his life and that is why I chose today to have my new book go live, The Treasures of My heart. Because he is a treasure that I hold very dear.

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