One of my greatest blessings came to me on a cold January day.  It was the year 1997, and I was pregnant with my darling angel sent straight from Heaven above.

Feeling a little scared, but more excited than anything, we made our way to the hospital where I would be induced at 5:30 A.M.  I did not mind what was to come, although I was in labor all day and into the night.  Why, you may ask?  Because I knew that after the labor pains subsided, I would hear the most beautiful sound; the cry of my first born daughter.

But … she had a surprise in store for us all!

At 10:26 P.M., she came into this world without a single sound.  Not a peep was heard out of my darling newborn.

Fear and panic set in as the medical team worked to clear my daughter’s airway.  Having just seen the movie The Hand That Rocks The Cradle did NOT help the feelings welling up inside of me.   (If you’ve watched it, you’ll recall the scene I’m speaking of!)

Oh how I wanted to hold my daughter!

My blood pressure began to drop, and the medical team then began to worry about me as well.  I remember crying and saying, “I just want to hold my baby … can I hold my baby …”  as the nurses were getting ready to take my baby out of the room.

Finally, the doctor demanded, “Let her hold her baby!!  Now!”

This beautiful 5 lb. 15 1/2 oz. baby girl was placed into my arms, and something wonderful happened.  Not only did our bond solidify at that moment in time, but my blood pressure increased at a rate that the doctor said he’s never seen before.

I held my baby, smiling as I looked into her deep blue eyes and knew what was meant by love at first sight.

Ah, but in reality, I loved her way before then!  I loved this little baby from the moment I found out I was pregnant.  I love her still, and I always will!

It is so hard to believe that this little bundle of joy has grown from a little girl with blonde hair bouncing around the house to a brilliant, talented, and gorgeous young woman!

Ladies and gentleman, my daughter is an adult now!

Whoa …

I need a moment after letting that sink in.

She is no longer a baby but a grown woman!

Wow.

And it seemed to have happened over night, too.

On that cold January day 18 years old, an angel came to save me.  And that she has!  No matter what has happened in my life through these years, with a long, grueling divorce, to losing my sister in the most heartbreaking way possible (suicide), having a ruptured ectopic pregnancy resulting in the loss of one of my tubes and my chances of getting pregnant again reduced to 50%, to bullying that took place at the hands of coworkers, to remarrying but then having a bit of a rocky year in 2014, my angel has always been there – rock solid and as strong as ever giving me all of her strength in those beautiful blue eyes of hers and in those loving arms that would wrap around my neck tightly.  All is right in the world when my daughter smiles at me and says, “I love you, Mommy!”  Yes … even at age 18 she will occasionally still call me Mommy.

Oh how I love her!  This little baby turned toddler, running around in all of her childlike wonder, leaped into her teenage years where she sought her independence, and is now dragging her heels not wishing to become an adult just yet but having no other choice as she turns 18 years old as the clock strikes 10:26 P.M. tonight.

God, thank you for sending me one of your angels straight from Heaven.  Thank you for allowing me to be her mother and for us to form a beautiful family unit when I remarried the love of my life when my darling was four years old.  She didn’t have to come from a broken home after all, and she didn’t.  We became a family in 2002, and tears fill my eyes as I think of my husband getting down on one knee on her level to present her with a beautiful ballerina necklace as part of our wedding ceremony to symbolize the family unit.  Dear Father, thank you for allowing me, despite the ruptured ectopic pregnancy and the odds stacked against us, to deliver another beautiful blue eyed miracle baby in 2004 to complete our family.  Oh God, how I thank you and praise you for the many blessings in our lives – the greatest blessings that I call my daughters.  Please continue to keep Your Mighty Hand upon them and keep them safe.  We love them so much, and we love you, too, Jesus.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to raise this angel on earth.  Amen