Miracle Girl's 5th Birthday

FEBRURARY 12,2009.....

Laura's story is one that will never be forgotten. It was wrought with uncertainty from the very beginning, which continued throughout 32 incredible and trying weeks of pregnancy, a birth surrounded in emergency and fear, and a little itty bitty baby who had been previously given only a 1% chance of survival in utero, upon entering the world, appeared to most certainly not able to make it through the night.

"The Whole Story"...taken by Chris M.

Our Little Peanut 2 days later!

In what could only be described by the Neonatal team of doctors as a miracle, Laura was off of the breathing machines and doing her own breathing without the assistance of even oxygen 4 days later. She was a stubborn little girl who from day one, was not going to let ANYONE tell her what she could and could not do. Her stubbornness is one of the persistent traits that makes up her delightful personality today as a spunky, funny, smart, helpful, kind, and creative 5 year old HEALTHY and NORMAL girl!

She was only the size of her still beloved (and now very dirty!) "Baby Bear"

Perhaps it is because of the upcoming baby in June, but Laura was very curious about her own birth-day story this year. We have talked of it in bits and pieces over the years as various kids have asked questions about it, but this was the first time Laura actually listened and comprehended the incredible story that led to her existence. She wanted to see pictures and hear her story over and over. I think that she was mentally holding it together better than I. I have not looked at those pictures in the scrapbook I began for her years ago until now....and it brought back many memories, good and bad, of the extremeness of the whole ordeal. The constant wondering how things would turn out, complete bed rest for 4 months and the decay of my body as I prayed to save hers, being away from my family for 2 months and the challenges we all endured because of it (including the Grandmas and all others who so tirelessly helped us all), and not having the faintest idea when it would come to an end and what would occur at that finish line.

Through it all, the biggest piece I will carry with me forever is the encompassing peace I was enveloped in by abandoning all those fears and worries and trusting in God alone. It really did not matter what the doctors or nurses said, what statistics were given, how things appeared today or yesterday, or what was expected out of tomorrow. What mattered was the resounding words the Lord spoke to my heart..."It will be OK". So simple. So comforting. So very true. No matter what happened in the end. It was NOT a promise that my baby would survive and everyone would live happily ever after. It was the promise that NO MATTER WHAT occurred, He would be with us to help us get through it all. It WOULD CERTAINLY be OK.

These items remain arranged on my bedside table as a visual reminder of God's steadfast love, faithfulness, and miraculous power. And how would I feel if the outcome would have been different? I imagine great sadness would have been experienced, along with some very difficult and bumpy days. But the promise would have remained the same, and I would have been OK. How do I know for certain? Well, because I believe it to be true. And though it needed not been tested, it WAS, two years later when we experienced 2 extremely sad and frightening miscarriages for no reason that we could humanly understand. But we gave that all up and trusted the promise that we would be taken care of, all for our own good. And we WERE.

Five years later, we are here with our not so little girl anymore. She has struggled with respiratory issues that have become increasing less difficult as she has aged, and she works hard to overcome some general large muscle weakness. She is full of life and constantly on the go (whether it be physical play, creative play, or simply talking up a storm). She is incredible and fun, likable and sweet, a great big sister to Tubby, and yes, still stubborn, but in a somehow more "polite" manner these days. She is our amazing little angel....forever our miracle girl.

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She LOVES all things girlie.....especially Tinkerbell and Fairies. Thus, the theme of this year's festivities.

She LOVES to play with her dolls....she was thrilled to get her first full-sized American Girl Doll, Emily!

She LOVES her new talking dollhouse...it was a huge hit! The kids will sit on the floor and literally play for hours...including Tubby! Funny thing, I was just taking my old dollhouse to the basement a few days before her birthday, because the girls NEVER played with it while it has been sitting in their room for the past 5 years. However, I didn't even make it past the living room because all three girls (the neighbor girl included) grabbed onto it and have been spending 75% of their free time playing with it! They have been ecstatic to have two full houses to play with now!

We also celebrated Lyle's, Michael's, Crispy's, and my birthday at the same family party for Laura, a few days after her official birthday. It was a great day!