"My legs don't work"

     Another emotional day today. We made one last trip to see our friends at Mountain Springs Church today before we head out to St Louis on Friday. It was just as emotional as every other Sunday at church has been lately, but today was made a little more difficult when Peyton said something to me that he has never said before.

     After service was over we were hanging out in the book section as Melissa was looking through some things. I was holding Peyton as I often do, and he and I were watching Valerie and Aiden run around, laughing and joking, it was a beautiful sight. And then Peyton said to me, "I want to get down and run, but I can't", I asked him "Why can't you buddy?" and he said to me..."Because my legs don't work." My heart immediately broke, I became weak like the air was sucked out of my lungs and I started to tear up, so I promised him that we were going to fix that next week. We were going to go see a doctor that can help fix his legs.

    At that point I saw Pastor Jerry, who had led todays message, walk towards me so I flagged him down to talk to him in hopes of trying to calm myself down. I mentioned how we had posted a prayer request on the church website about Peyton and he told me he knew all about it. He asked how we were doing and I told him we were getting nervous as we were rapidly approaching the 27th. At that point one of the most amazing things happened. He told me he wanted to say a prayer for Peyton but told me to hold on. He left and then came back with a mass of other pastors and members from the church. They then engulfed our family in a big circle, each of them placing their hands on Peyton, Melissa and I. And for the next several minutes each of them said their own prayer for Peyton and our family, I was so overwhelmed I was shaking.

     For most of you who know me (Todd), I have never been much of a religious person, but I felt it today! The overwhelming love and support for my son, and the genuine concern for our family from complete strangers was...Incredible!

     Mountain Springs Church has two "prayer walls" that you can write your prayers on and once your prayer has been answered you go back to that wall and you circle your prayer so everyone can see it has been answered. Needless to say Melissa, Valerie and I have written on those walls, and we cannot wait to go back there in a month and circle those prayers...I promise you, you will be able to see those circles from every spot in that church because they are going to be HUGE!!!!!