All you need...

Tonight is a night I have trouble finding words to describe. I'm determined somehow to do it though, it almost seems too important to let it go by without some recognition.
I walked in to B ward this afternoon excited to see my patients. I knew the majority of them from 2 nights before, yet somehow I wasn't expecting what I heard.
Suzanne!
Which was quickly followed by a tap on my thigh and a scruffy voiced, "yovo" from the most recent maniac sibling on the ward.
The excited little boy who remembered my name is possibly one of the sweetest boys I have taken care of...ever.
Ok, I may have said that before, and will likely say it again sometime, but there is room in this girls heart for plenty of "cutest/sweetest kid ever" types.

He was born with club hands and feet. Although we have no ortho surgeons available to help him, we do have a general surgeon who was able to fix his hernia yesterday. I had him the day before went for the repair, and then again this afternoon.
Today he was clearly not feeling great, and had a few things going on that were of concern. I spent a lot of time organizing his care, making sure to give him a kiss on the forehead every time I passed his bed. He has a mischievous glint to his eye, and a smile that makes my heart melt. To say I felt bad about having to put a new IV in him was an understatement. With kids it can sometimes take a lot of time to gain trust, to get them to believe that you are on their side. Ask any pediatric nurse how much it hurts to lose that trust and they will tell you.

I grabbed my supplies, summoned a translator to assist, and went to my patient and his mom with the news.
"If you stay really still it will be ok. I can give you some stickers after if you stay still for me"
He didn't flinch. His small contracted body laid perfectly still as I drew his blood and finished hooking up a fresh bag of fluids. Afterwards I leaned in and kissed his forehead, watching him pucker his lips. After all was said and done, after I had to inflict pain on this little guy, he kissed my cheek. And simply smiled.

I felt the familiar warmth deep in my soul, its unmistakable. A feeling that used to be so fleeting, with instances few and far between, has now grown familiar since coming to Africa. True love, true glimpses of perfect love are so astounding, so breathtaking, I covet every single chance I get to experience them.
Perfectly 'imperfect' babies, children, and adults are around every corner, waiting to show me what love looks like. What love acts like. What love feels like.

Thank you God. Thank you for showing me.