The other night Dawson was having a 'hard day.' That's what we call days when we are missing Andee. Dawson had 3 hard days in a row- he would constantly be asking for Andee, asking when he will get to play with her, why she can't come see him, when we can bring her home.... and along with all the questions he gets pretty upset about the smallest things that he normally wouldn't get upset over.
The last 'hard day' we knelt down for family prayer and in the middle of J.D. praying Dawson whispered, "Don't forget to say we are grateful for Andee." Both J.D. and I just smiled and J.D. didn't forget. After we gave hugs and kisses goodnight. Before I left Dawson said, "Mom I just want Andee to be with me and sleep at my house." I was pretty emotional and said, "I want that too, but she can't. ..." Pause "You can pray to Heavenly Father and ask him if she can sleep on the couch with you. I bet he'd let her if you asked."
Dawson sat there for a moment. He had asked to sleep on the couch earlier and so he was already there, but there was room for Andee on the other half of the couch. So Dawson thought for a moment and said, "Will you help me ask him?" So of course I did and it was the sweetest prayer in the whole world. Afterwards I told him that he wouldn't be able to see her spirit, but he could feel it."
As I was walking away Dawson said, "Mom! We need to make Andee a bed. Here's her blanket!"
So I laid the white blanket down on the couch. Then Dawson said, "Here she can use my pillow and my other blanket so she can be warm. Is that a good idea mom?"
Me: "That's a great idea. You are such a good big brother." So we made her bed and I said goodnight.
(The pirate patch he put on because he scratched his eye really bad and couldn't hardly open it. It was so sad! When we got home, he found his patch and put it on all by himself. He is seriously so smart because neither J.D. or I thought about a patch helping him.)
About 20 minutes later I came back into the living room to see if Dawson was asleep so I could turn off the TV. He noticed me and sat up quickly, "IS SHE HERE?" He looked at the bed we'd made for her.
Me: "um... I don't know. Can you feel her spirit?"
Dawson sat there for a moment and then said, "YES! I can! She's here mom! Can you feel her too?"
I started to choke up, but managed to stop and try to feel her spirit too. I could feel her there. It something that's unexplainable. Me: "Yeah I can."
Dawson was so excited and happy that Heavenly Father let Andee come stay the night with him. He went to sleep with the biggest smile on his face.
In the morning Dawson woke up and said, "Andee had to go mom, but she said bye."
Me: "I'm so glad you got to have a sleepover with your sister. You need to say a prayer now and tell Heavenly Father thank you."
Dawson: "Okay. But I don't need help. I can do it by myself."
So he did and I was so proud of him for taking time to thank our Heavenly Father and learning the power of prayer.
