We Believe in Miracles

Our family believes in miracles.

Honestly, with the amount of loss and heartache that we have experienced in the past six years, it is sometimes easier to remember the pain and the difficult things than the miracles we have seen. But, when I consider how much we have been given and what blessings are ours, I am humbled and amazed.

Sweet Charlie for example. Her story hangs on the "Wall of Hope" at the IMC hospital where she was life flighted after her birth. Her story IS a miracle and one that now brings hope to other families with little ones in the NICU there.

Here is her picture on the Wall of Hope says:

Charlie was born on June 21, 2011, when we lost her loving Mother, Linda, to an amniotic embolism. Without oxygen for some time in her Mother's womb, Charlie suffered from severe hypoxia resulting in brain damage. Her lifeless body was resuscitated in the emergency room while the doctors tried in vain to save her Mother. With her first breaths Charlie's tiny body began to convulse with seizures.

Life-flight was dispatched and Charlie was rushed to IMC's NICU. Here she underwent a cooling process designed to lower her core temperature and reduce swelling to the brain. She spent many days learning to breathe on her own and after 3 weeks, was transferred to Primary Children's Hospital where a feeding tube was surgically placed in her abdomen. After a total of 6 weeks in the NICU, and with a feeding tube and pump in tow, Charlie was allowed to go home.

Therapists from Utah's Up-to-Three program worked with Charlie for 7 months until she passed a swallow study confirming she had learned to swallow without aspirating. It was a wonderful day in February 2012, when the feeding tube was surgically removed. From that point on, Charlie's progress has been nothing short of miraculous. She is walking, learning, jabbering, and throwing the most wonderful tantrums. Full of life and spunk, Charlie is overcoming the odds and is living life to the fullest with no indication of limitations as initially expected. 

Our family owes a great debt of gratitude to the doctors, nurses, and staff at IMC and Primary Children's Hospitals. Thank you for giving Charlie every opportunity to overcome the odds!

Sincerely, 

Brad Rowbury and family..... Carter, Ryen, Jack, and the amazing Charlie Linda Rowbury

(sorry these pictures are not the best quality. They were emailed to us and they were tiny in the email. Oh, well.)

I can't look at Charlie without becoming emotional and thinking about what a miracle her life is. 

Now our family is praying and hoping for another miracle. 

This isn't my story to share, so I won't include many details, but my Uncle Judd (Cortney, Che', Colby, and Carlie's dad and Sue's husband for those of you who have been around long enough to have heard about them) is in a coma after suffering a stroke in the early morning hours Sunday. His situation is critical, but already there have been small miracles in what we are hoping will be a large miracle. It could be weeks before we know much, but we are praying and fasting for his full recovery. 

This situation is consuming me. It has been so emotional for all involved. I feel so helpless. Che', who is one of my dearest friends aside from being my cousin, called me shortly after it happened at 2:30 am on Sunday morning. We have already been conditioned to know that middle of the night calls are never good, and well, this certainly wasn't good. Che' and Landon were already on their way to Idaho and have been there with their whole family ever since. It is so hard for me to know that I am here and can do nothing but pray while they are all suffering through so much. I know that being there wouldn't help either, because what can you do? But it is really tough going through the motions daily and pretending everything is okay when really I just want to fix the situation. We all know that isn't possible---but we can pray and ask for a miracle, which is what we are doing. 

Sue and Judd's whole community is behind them praying and fasting, as are both sides of the family and many more friends and loved ones. I believe in the power of prayer and believe that prayer buoyed our family up so much when Charlie was fighting for her life. I know this time can be the same. So, if you can, please add Judd and Susan, along with their kids, to your prayers. It would mean a lot to me. 

Judd and Charlie girl

Remembering

Despite my busy day today, I have been thinking a lot about my Uncle Charlie and remembering him. It was 2 years ago today that he passed away. There are few people in life who leave an impression of greatness like my Uncle Charlie did. Though he was quite powerful in the state of Idaho, more important to him was his family. I learned manners from him, how to eat escargot, the necessity of sending thank you notes, and how to compromise on music (Eric Clapton is okay to mix in with all the boy bands that we 14 year old girls liked to listen to the WHOLE WAY to Lake Powell while driving with Uncle Charlie). Most importantly, I learned from Uncle Charlie the value of spending time as a family and just being together. Every year he had a bash at his ranch, Trestle, for his birthday. He was Santa for Christmas at Grandma's. He took us to dinner whenever he was in town. He made sure that we were invited when he had tickets to the Folk Dance Festival. It didn't matter what we were doing, as long as we were together as a family. I hope the lessons that he taught us can continue to live on.

Sometimes it is hard to believe that death can take people we love so quickly. I miss Uncle Charlie a lot, especially as we approach holiday times. However, I am grateful for the person that he was because he truly has shaped the person that I have become. I hope he is as proud to call me his niece as I am to call him my uncle.

Funeral

Charlie's "Memorial Service" was yesterday in Boise. I had to do a lot of re-arranging, but I was able to make it. Devin and I left late Wednesday night, hitching a ride with my Uncle Lynn, who lives in Orem. Lynn was in charge of the life-sketch, so as we drove, we spewed out memory after memory of Charlie, quirks, habits, goals, mottos, etc. I think Devin felt a little bit left out since he had only met Charlie twice, but he learned a alot about him. We got to Boise around 3 am. We were up by 7 the next morning, even though the funeral was not till 11, thanks to my sister Jennifer. She had no problem getting us on up and out the door.

The actual service was held at the funeral home, which was not nearly big enough for all the people that were there. I didn't doubt that Charlie had influenced many people's lives, but I was surprised by all the support there. The service was really nice. It was not like any funeral I have been to, since the LDS aspect was completely missing, but it was still so nice and it really reflected who Charlie was as an individual. My sister played "Tears in Heaven" by Eric Clapton (one of Charlie's favorite songs) on the piano and that was a highlight, along with the movie montage of pictures and video clips that my cousin Che' had put together of Charlie's life. I was pretty well composed up until that point, but watching that video just touched me. Two other people spoke besides my Uncle Lynn, one was one of Charlie's biker buddies, and the other was the former Idaho State Governor (currently serving as Lieutenant Governor) Jim Risch. Two completely different spectrums, but both spoke adaqueatly of Charlie's massive influence. Both mentioned that Charlie had a nickname in the Legislature, the "BTO" or "Big Time Operator" because everyone, from pages on up to the governor commonly sought Charlie's advice and counsel. It was interesting to hear different aspects of Charlie's life that I knew little about. I just knew him as my uncle, but he was so much to many people.

The other great thing was that my mom and all her siblings were together for the first time in 13 years. It is pretty sad that it takes something as tragic as this to bring a family together, but its true.

Craig, Steve, David, Linda, Sue (holding Charlie's picture with his beloved dog, Rags), my mom Lisa, Lynn in back, MariAnn

Ta Ta For Now

Yesterday, My Uncle Charlie passed away instantly after a massive heart attack. He was 54 years old. I am really sad about his death because he was a great person and a huge influence on my life. Charlie did not have any children of his own, but being the oldest sibling of my mom's, he took on the role of the leader of the family. Charlie thought of each of his nieces and nephews as his own children and pushed us to become the best people that we could. He stressed education and even started up the "Good Grade Club" for us. In the beginning, we would send in our grades, then he would in turn send us an item of our choice with his logo on it. As I entered college, he just started cutting us a check, with the amount of money depending on our GPA. Here's the last note he sent me with my "Good Grade Club" money:

good job. It was good to see you during Xmas. when do you graduate? . My calculations concludes that the good grad club needs to award you a checkfor $139.60. 34.90 X 4 =139.60.please send me you address and Rags and I will send you your award. Goodwork , good luck and I am proud of you.

Uncle Charlie was a Harley rider, through and through. Two summers ago, the entire family took a trip out to see my Grandma on her mission and Charlie insisted upon riding his Harley the whole way.

Charlie was always "Santa" during our Christmas celebration at Grandma's each year. He took his place next to the tree and would call out names of all the presents and then the "elves", the younger kids, would deliver the gift to the correct person. It has always been this way for as long as I can remember.

Charlie has worked as a lobbyist in the Idaho State Legislature for Union Pacific Railroad for many many years. As a youngster, I remember the whole family going for a train ride with Uncle Charlie. To this day, that is the only time I have ever ridden a train. It was always expected that we would be receiving a Union Pacific item of some sort on every occasion that we saw him, including Calendars, notepads, Trolls (remember those things?), etc. Charlie was proud of what he did and was noted for his accomplishements in the state of Idaho for a long time. He had friends in high places and I know he will be missed by all.

Today, everyone who could go made their way to Boise to see Charlie for the last time. His living will states that he wants his body to be cremated and scattered over his ranch (his second home, where he spent all of his free time fly fishing and relaxing on his time off) near Ashton, Idaho. I planned on going, but then Devin couldn't find anyone to work for him and I didn't feel good about going to Boise and back in one day by myself. So, here I sit. I can't think about anything else but the loss that my family has experienced and the gratitude that I have for Charlie and the profound influence he has had on my life.

His favorite phrase when he left anywhere or when he ended a note or letter was "ta-ta for now!" So, now it is my turn to say, "ta-ta for now" Uncle Charlie. I will miss you.