A Tribute to Joshua's Best Friend & Brother - Jeremy

This beautiful brotherly love is so evident!

A Tribute to Jeremy John Eisenstat

Joshua's Best Friend & Brother

How can I possibly express my gratitude for Joshua's "little big" brother Jeremy?  

The beginning of this best brother relationship began at Joshua's 2nd birthday party when my water suddenly broke!!  And Jeremy was born just under 4 hours later.  From that moment, January 26th was a special celebration of my two oldest boys!  And Jeremy and his friends always included Joshua in on the birthday celebration!  

Me with my adorable boys!

Jeremy was a very obedient child somehow knowing at an early age that I needed to hold on to Joshua, chase Joshua, and carry him all while Jeremy followed right along -- he was amazing!  Joshua loved knowing Jeremy was in the same bedroom, and many times would look over at Jeremy in the middle of the night and say "hi Jemma."  

A typical view of the fun they had!

One of my favorite stories happened when they were about 5 and 3 years old.  I had put them both to bed, but they would not stay in bed.  Over and over I would hear them out of bed, and I would go back in.  So finally, this last time, as I heard them playing and laughing, I thought I would catch them in the act and whipped open the door.  The difference in my boys stands out in my mind to this day.  Jeremy immediately "dove" back into bed and pretended he had been asleep all along!!  :)  And Joshua, looking at me with his beautiful and innocent eyes, simply said, "hi!"  Oh, how I loved my boys!!

Through the years I was always so thankful for Jeremy's love for his older brother.  Jeremy became the older brother as he matured, and Joshua stayed young, and is a blessing to all of his siblings!  

Holding tight to Joshua so he wouldn't run!

Another moment that stands out in my mind is when Joshua had an extremely hard seizure just outside the front door, and ended up with a gash, and bleeding badly.  Jeremy and I heard him thud against the front door at the same time, and worked together to hold onto him so he didn't injure himself further, and of course, we ended up with blood on us, and using all of our strength.  Jeremy said to me, "this is so hard."  I choke up just thinking about that statement still.  Yes it was extremely hard, and I am so thankful that you always rose to a greater height than I could have asked for as you loved and served him every day.



Here is the link to the talk Jeremy wrote for Joshua's funeral.
http://joshuasheartfullofhugs.blogspot.com/2013/01/brothers-forever-he-was-and-is-best-big.html

Jeremy helping his big brother!

Another sweet memory with my boys!

Joshua's joy at being with his brother!

Jeremy's hug right after they walked across the Pleasant Grove High School Graduation stage!

A Heavenly Birthday Wish

A Heavenly Birthday Wish

Every year on my birthday, a special treat I give myself is to listen to a beautiful video of Joshua wishing me a happy birthday about 15 years ago!  My incredible brother Doug captured this on video as he was trying to get Joshua to say "happy birthday" to me, his Mom.  As you can tell in the video, he was a little confused on whose birthday it was and he was very easily distracted. But there is no doubt how handsome, endearing and lovable he was too.

Here is the link to this very heavenly and beautiful birthday wish to me, his very thankful Mom!  This video is priceless beyond words!! 

https://www.facebook.com/videodoug/videos/t.658837442/10151757536781471/?type=2&video_source=user_video_tab

A Tribute to Jamie - Joshua's Only Sister

A Tribute to Jamie Donna Eisenstat

Joshua's Only Sister

Jamie's radiant and beautiful personality!

Jamie is my only daughter, and is beautiful and talented and compassionate!  Jamie loved her big brother Joshua!  Although he was pretty scary when she was very small, as she matured and gained greater understanding and compassion, Jamie became a wonderful advocate and friend for Joshua!  

Joshua (age 6), Jeremy (age 4) and Jamie

Jamie could make him laugh, and bring wonderful joy to his day!  Jamie learned all of the self-help skills and even boasted that she could pick up Joshua better than I could!

Helping Joshua  have fun at Zion National Park!

Jamie loved to help!

Joshua loved his wheelchair rides!

 Jamie helped with baths, with seizures, with eating, with playing, and with t-ball, just to mention a few.  One particularly scary experience Jamie and I had was when we were playing with Joshua at the Pleasant Grove pool, in about 4 feet of water.  Joshua had a grand mal seizure and it took both of us to hold on to him throughout the seizure in order for him not to go under the water.  I was so thankful to have a daughter so strong, and so determined and so loving!

Some of our favorite memories were when Joshua rode a horse at Special Needs Mutual, and Jamie's strength and effort to help hold him on the horse as they walked around the arena.  It took a lot to hold on to him!

Fun, sweet memories around 1010 North in Provo!

Jamie also loved taking Joshua on his two-seater special bike all around the neighborhood.  This was a special treat for both of them!  (We are so sad that this bike was stolen about a year after Joshua passed away - it would have been a sweet and treasured bike to have the rest of our lives.  Someday we still hope to get it back.)

Jamie wrote an incredible tribute to Joshua called "An Unlikely Hero".  Here is the link to her beautiful words about Joshua:

http://joshuasheartfullofhugs.blogspot.com/2013/01/anunlikely-hero-by-jamie-eisenstat.html

A Tribute to Jacob - Joshua's Sibling #4

Jacob loved his big brother!

A Tribute to Jacob Leonard Eisenstat

Joshua's Sibling #4

Joshua always got a seat in the bike trailer!

When I think of Jacob and his love for his big brother Joshua, I think of his cheerfulness and pure love, his ability to help at such a young age, and his understanding of Joshua's aggressiveness, seizures and daily struggles.  I was always impressed by Jacob and his incredible friends and how they included Joshua by playing ball with him, taking him for rides on the two-seater bike and helping him patiently at his computer.  Joshua was always happier when he was surrounded by family and friends.  There was no doubt of the happiness he felt!

Here is his huge smile at such a young age to be sharing the bike trailer with Joshua!  What you can't see in the picture is the hitting and items thrown out the trailer too. I was blessed with wonderful, patient siblings for Joshua.  And Jacob truly loved his brother!

Bonding at the campfire!

Jacob always wanted Joshua to get well!

I wonder what this conversation was all about!

This hug says it all -- pure brotherly love!

A Tribute to Janson - Joshua's Youngest Brother

A Tribute to Janson Jeremy Eisenstat

Joshua's Youngest Brother

Janson and Jacob always close by their brother!

Janson is the youngest in our family, and was only 10 years old when Joshua died.  But although he was young, his sensitive and kind heart broke at the loss of his brother.

Janson helping Joshua at t-ball.

Joshua was 11 years old when Janson was born.  As a Mom, I had 3 children in diapers!!  Janson, as a newborn; Jacob as a 28 month old, and Joshua at age 11!  Needless to say, I was a bit overwhelmed.  I was not able to nurse Janson because this upset Joshua, and he would hit me and become more agitated and aggressive.  A bottle with formula worked absolutely perfect!  I loved each one of my children so much, and very quickly, I realized that if I was to raise 5 young children, I would have to be creative, go with little sleep, build on their individual strengths and talents and teach them to love and serve each other.

 Janson was my little sidekick.  When I coached special needs t-ball, he was close beside me.  When I was a mother helper at school, he was right there.  And the list goes on.  I cherish this time when Janson wanted to be near me all day long.  And by doing this, Janson became a great advocate, friend and cheerleader to Joshua.  He followed his older siblings in finding ways to make Joshua laugh, in helping him, learning to deal with seizures and aggression, and mostly in loving him.

Janson having fun with Joshua and bringing him much joy!

In my sister Vickie's funeral talk, she had asked Janson what he was feeling, and Janson said that if Joshua wasn't in our family, we wouldn’t have learned about special needs and how to help people. 

I am so thankful for my wonderful Janson, for his sensitivity and compassion.  He is smart, he is handsome and he is awesome!

Janson's broken heart and final goodbye...