She knows when people need comfort and love, especially when it is someone who needs children in some way. She can be found crawling up onto these people’s laps to cuddle, giving them a hug, or inviting them to play with her. We always learn later that they recently lost a child, are going through infertility, lost a loved one, or are going through some other challenge, and her love towards them lightened their hearts.
Here are a few times that we have seen this gift:
We have some friends who have been suffering from unexplained infertility for quite some time. A LOVED them! She took to them right away, even though she was going through a stranger danger phase. When I handed her to J she snuggled right in and gave her a big smile. She was very content to stay with her. For the longest time J was the only other person who little A would eat/drink for and the only other person who could get her down for a nap.
Some other friends have also been longing to start their family but have been delayed due to some serious health problems. She made good friends with JG. She also allowed DG to hold her and rock her to sleep (which is a big deal because she generally doesn't like men). I will never forget the tender look he gave her as she was sleeping in his arms. It was so precious. Another time we went over to spend some time with JG. Little A had been having a rough day, and it was her nap time so I was expecting to have to hold her the whole time. When we got there she told me she wanted to walk and then walked right into JG's arms and snuggled her the entire time! As we talked JG told me about the challenges they were having and how much she was enjoying that snuggle.
We were at our ward Christmas party and I needed to go and relieve one of the sisters from her duties so she could eat. Allan wasn't done eating so I went in search of a Grandma who was finished eating. They are always so happy to hold the babies. :) None of the Grandmas were finished, but there was a woman sitting with them, who I didn't know, that was finished. I felt prompted to ask her to hold A for me. She was more than willing. A was going through a stranger danger phase at that time, and I wasn't sure how long she'd last, but I thought I'd try. A was happy as can be, though. She sat with that sister peacefully while I worked. When I went to get her it was like she hadn't known I was gone. That Sunday one of the sisters in our ward told me that this woman was not a member of our ward, but a friend that had come with her. She had always wanted children but had never been able to have any. She thought it was so unusual that I would let her hold my baby in the first place, but also said how much it meant to her to have that time to hold and snuggle little A.
One of the trips we took to visit family, A was getting acquainted with all of her Aunts again. Of all of them, she chose K3 (who is also going through infertility) to play with. She loved to be with and play with her. K3 is still her favorite Aunt. ;)
The most recent time was a couple of weeks ago when we visited A's birth mom, AG. She seemed to sense that AG was a very special person and wanted to be with her. At one point her and I were coming back to the family room (I had been trying to get A down for a nap, to no avail). She told me she wanted to walk so I sat her down, and she walked straight into AG's arms, and tried to climb up her, lol! AG was the one she wanted to hold her and play with her. During this visit AG's mom seemed to be having a rough time at one point. A went to her and gave her a big hug!
I am so grateful for this sweet little girl! She is such a blessing in our lives. I hope that she always has this gift, and that Allan and I encourage her in it and help her to cultivate it.
What a precious little lady!
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