A Day to be Grateful

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is a great accomplishment."  Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today I am very grateful. Today is a special day.  My baby, J, is 21 years old!   I just don't know where those years went, but I thank God for them all the time.

I am so proud of J.  She is a girl who is always herself, when others are trying to make her someone else.  She follows her own star.  I believe she will accomplish great things in her life.

Now, being a mom, I always relive the day of my child's birth.  Can't help it,  it was one of the greatest days of my live.  So here is the tale.

She was due on September 21.  We lived in Ann Arbor Michigan and my dad was visiting. He was set to fly out on September 9.  On September 8, J's dad stayed up studying for his Preliminary exams.  When he exhaustedly  got to bed at 12:00am and fell promptly asleep,   I had to wake him up, around 12:40am, my water broke!

Now this being the 3rd child and my other deliveries going rather quickly,  we wasted no time in getting to the hospital.   Of course the professionals at the hospital never listen when you tell them that you deliver quickly.  So they put me in a labor room(  birthing rooms are so much nicer now!).  They come in to check on me about 10 minutes later and "Oh  we need to get her to the delivery room NOW-  I had tried to warn them.   They had to call the chief resident, as my doctor had not had time to get to the hospital.  I don't think they were prepared for how rapidly I was giving birth,  "don't push they said"-- hey who was pushing,  this kid wanted out!

So 1 hour and twenty minutes after I had woken her dad up, this beautiful baby girl entered the world.  The overwhelming feeling of love and joy that flooded my spirit when I saw her beautiful face is not something I have the words to describe.

She has been a joy and delight for 21 years now.   Happy Birthday J.