Happy Mother’s Day!
Today, I write about the pregnancy and birth of my first child.
I have had three children, so one might question, how might I choose only
one? I choose the first, because of the novelty of the experience.
I think the moment “it” happened, I had an innate feeling that
we had conceived. I mentioned it to my husband on the subway one morning riding
to church. He smiled, big, hoping the same.
Later, I didn’t think more about it. I continued with my
studies, and part-time job.
But it thought about me.
One Saturday morning, I noticed visible changes in my body. It
got me to thinking; I should take a home pregnancy test.
My husband was away that weekend, and my best friend was
spending the weekend with me.
We awoke, had breakfast and hit the pharmacy.
We rushed home, and I “peed on the stick.”
Well, the test was negative. Hum…I really expected a positive
response.
Disappointed, I read the instructions again. AHA! That was it! I
peed on the wrong end of the stick.
I said to my friend, “OK Lisa, I’m going to try this again.”
Lo and behold, indeed, I was pregnant. I knew it! We began
jumping up and down.
The pregnancy was a beautiful time for my husband and I. We
walked around bursting with excitement, anticipating a boy or girl. Finally, we
believed it had to be a boy. Everyone who met us told us so. A lady at my
church even prophesized; I was having a boy while we were in the restroom.
Well, I decided enough of this. I had a talk with the Father.
“Lord, prove them all wrong. Let it be a girl.” Some things we shouldn't know until the appointed time.
Even still, I said the words, but did I believe them?
For when she was born, right after I felt the silhouette of her
tiny precious body slip from me, I passed out. Literally, I was asleep. Maybe
no more than a few moments.
Yet, I didn’t hear her cry, I didn’t hear the doctor announce
she was a girl. And what’s sadly funny, no one knew I was asleep.
So, when I came to, I said, “It’s a boy?”
All eyes squinted at me in disbelief.
Did I say something wrong?
I lifted the umbilical cord and took a peek. “It’s a girl! It’s
Ariel!” I shouted.
She was all eyes and fire from the start. All of my children
are.
As I stared into her eager eyes on that Sunday morning, she
looked as if she knew me.
In that moment in time and space, I had clear confirmation; God
is truly real.
For this was a miracle. A precious delightful miracle.
I thought this post would be fitting in light of Mother’s Day.
I wish every mom, natural or mothers by heart, aunts, grandmothers, godmothers, sister/friends; a very happy Mother’s Day.
