Miracles...

Today, is a day for reflection. Tow years ago today, were were blessed with two amazing miracles. Here is our story:

My husband and I had been trying for a couple of years to get pregnant. We discovered, through many doctor's visits and tests, that while we were both able, the chances were slim that we would conceive. We were frustrated and dismayed. We both believed, though, that God was in control. We had no idea how true that really was, though.

Let me stop for a moment and remind you that both Marty and I are teachers. At the time, I taught 2nd grade, and Marty is a high school band director.

I'll continue now...

Christmas of 2008 was spent with my extended family in Ashland, Ohio. While there, I was really tired, and just overall icky. At first, I didn't think anything of it. Then, I started to wonder... was it possible?? We snuck out to the local CVS to buy a pregnancy test. In the wee hours of the morning on December 31, 2008, we saw the two lines. It had finally happened. Miracle #1.

We had no idea how far along I was until we went to the doctor at the beginning of January. A sonogram confirmed that I was pregnant, and put the due date as August 28. Remember when I said we were both teachers? Yeah, this wasn't exactly the best timing for us. The due date was right after the first week of school, and at the beginning of marching season. We both immediately felt that this was God's way of reminding us that HE was in control.

I had a great pregnancy. I had some ickyness during the first trimester, but I never really got sick. As long as I stuck to cereal and mac & cheese, I was good. The whole 9 months was rather uneventful. I did have gestational diabetes, but it was controlled by an annoying diet.

Women with gestational diabetes often have babies that are large if allowed to go to their due date, so my doctor scheduled us to be induced on August 21. August 21 was the Friday before school started. My goal of being able to see my students the first day of school was null and void. But I was ok. My room was ready and my sub was ready. It was going to be alright.

We checked in to the hospital early on a stormy August 21. Not long after we arrived, the power blinked at the hospital. It was rather odd to be standing in a pitch black hospital room. It only lasted a few seconds before it came back on. I was just glad that I wasn't hooked up to anything yet, so we weren't really affected.

At about 7 o'clock, they began the pitocin drip. And we waited. And waited. The doctor came in at some point to break my water to hurry things along, but still nothing. The problem was that any time they would increase my level of pitocin, Noah's heart rate would indicate distress.

Finally, in the early afternoon, they decided to stop the pitocin and schedule a c-section for 5pm. I was nervous. Very nervous. Luckily, it all happened so fast, that I wasn't nervous for very long.

Finally, it was 5pm. Marty sat next to my head as they performed the procedure. He was excellent in keeping my mind off what was happening by talking about something random. And then we heard. it. A cry. I remember looking at Marty and saying, "that's OUR baby!" The doctor's did their thing, and then he paused and had us look up. He held up the umbilical cord to show us that it was tied in a complete knot.

Later, it was explained to us, that sometime between 20 and 24 weeks, Noah had done enough somersaults to tie his umbilical in what is called a true knot. The doctor told us that at any point after that, if he had pulled that knot any tighter, we wouldn't have made it to the hospital in time and we would have lost him. He also mentioned that if he had been delivered normally, as had been planned just a few hours earlier, he wouldn't have made it. Miracle #2.

Today, that miracle turns 2. He can run, play and talk your ear off. He can do anything a normal 2-year-old can do, and more. Marty and I have been blessed beyond measure to be given such an amazing gift by such an amazing God. I can only imagine was incredible plan He has for his life.