Happy Birthday to Me!

Wed. October 1, 2008. Today is my birthday. Sounds kinda "korney" to wish yourself Happy Birthday but I woke up this morning singing to myself. Psalms 144: 15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD. Jimmy was next to sing and give me a nice birthday kiss. Rachael followed the room with sleepy eyes but never uttered the words. There are not many teenagers that I know that are morning people. She begins talking about the time I drop her off at school. Jimmy told me later, " don't be mad at her for not saying Happy Birthday because she has "big" plans for you later. " I'm not mad at her and even if I were, I could never stay that way. You see, Rachael is my joy, my sunshine, and the most precious blessing God has given to me. I remember when I found out I was pregnant with her. Actually I think I knew before it was confirmed. It was February of 1994 and I was flying back from San Diego, California with my mother. We had been on a week long visit with my brother and his family and were looking forward to getting home. I knew I still had a couple of weeks before I could "officially confirm" but I just knew. Sure enough, a couple of weeks later, I took a pregnancy test and it was official. I started my nine months of documentation, ob-gyn visits, and nesting syndrome. I loved being pregnant (at least for the first 7 months). My craving seem to center around chocolate milk. I would leave work at lunch and buy a 1 quart carton of chocolate milk and it would be gone before I returned to the office parking lot. At my 6 month check-up, I remember my doctor saying, "I don't know what you are eating, but you must stop eating so much of it. You have gained 7 pounds in 2 weeks." That would be the last time I would indulge in my milk habit. The memorable part of my pregnancy had to be my fall from the attic. Yes, I fell from the attic taking the attic frame and stairs with me. It was around the end of September and I was in my 7 month of pregnancy. My sister, Lynn was over for a visit and we were taking some items down from the attic that would be used for the baby. Without hesitation or thought, I climbed up the attic stairs and into the attic. Just as I had made my way into the attic, I heard a "popping" noise and down I went. I don't remember falling but I do remember the landing. I took the blunt of the fall on my elbows and behind. I remember thinking if I could just protect the baby. My sister screamed and soon was in a nervous shake, calling my husband to let him know what had occurred. I picked myself up from the floor and miraculously, felt fine. "God is Good!" I don't know how I managed to fall 9 feet from top to bottom, 7 months pregnant and not sustain any injuries to the baby or myself, but God does. He is always in control. Rachael was born in November of 94 and took our breaths away. She was a little over 7 lbs and was 21" long. She had no hair but was still beautiful to watch. Getting ready to take her home was a bit scary and I wasn't quite sure how to be a mom but as everyone told me, it will come to you naturally. The LORD must have known that Jimmy and I needed some lessons in patience because the next 6 months would prove to put us to the test. Rachael was "colic." She cried from the day we brought her home until 6 months later. The pediatrician said "it might go away in a couple of months or it could last a year." Thank Goodness, the Lord saw fit to teach us patience in 6 months. As much as she cried, she was still beautiful and she was coming into a personality of her own. She is daring, adventurous, sociable, talkative, hyper, determined, athletic, persistent, stubborn, and beautiful. She never slows down and she is sensitive to others. She loves children and the most of all, she loves the LORD. She witnesses to others and her dad and I love the way she brings up God in conversations with others. She once asked a cashier at the Dollar Tree, "do you have a church that you attend?" "Could I invite you to ours?" She begged me one evening after a long day at work to take her to the Sheets store so she could take tracts into the employees. I am so thankful that she desires to see others come to know Christ. She has to be reigned in from time to time (after all, she is a teenager), and times are not always filled with bliss in our home. She does get into trouble, mostly for not doing things that we have asked her to do and sometimes for expressing her opinion when no ones desires to hear it. But she is a hard worker, loves school, does well with her grades and loves sports. She sure can play some volleyball. She got her athletic abilities from her dad. It will be interesting to see what she has in store for me this evening. I'll post again tomorrow if the Lord allows me another day here. For now, I'll enjoy the blessings of today!