Rebecca's story (a re-run)

In the summer of 2003, Mike's brother and his wife and two kids flew up to Idaho for a visit. We borrowed a Suburban and drove up to Canada--Banff, Lake Louise, Radium Hot Springs, Kootenai and Yoho National Parks, Wapta Falls, Emerald Lake, and even Whistler Mountain in Jasper, which is way up there close to the Arctic Circle. Well, closer than I'd ever been, anyway. We had a great time, and saw bears, big horn sheep, elk, glaciers. Jessica and Mikayla were 5 and 3, and as we hiked and climbed, one of them usually ended up on my shoulders. On our last day, driving home, we found one more waterfall with rocks we just had to climb on. But as I got out of the car, I started cramping like I was either about to be sick or start my period, so I stayed down close to the car (and the porta-potty) while everyone else climbed, and it went away. I spotted a little, and figured my friend "Martha" was about to come for her monthly visit. But she never did, and I took a pregnancy test, which came out positive. Mike and I were happy about it, but at the same time...this was exactly how our last pregancy had started. The one I lost at 11 weeks. Because of the spotting, and the cramping, I was certain the baby was dead. I don't know how to put into words how little hope I had. I only told those closest to me, and set up a doctor's appointment for when I was about 9 weeks along. I knew my Dr. would do an ultrasound, and I prepared myself to see no little flash of heartbeat on the screen. Thankfully, my big brother Mark had faith for me, and told me all along that he knew this baby was going to be alright. I wanted to believe him, but didn't. He kept praying and believing, and that day at the dr's office, I watched the screen with dread, then was amazed to see something flashing!! I asked, "Is that a heartbeat?!" and my dr (the same one who had seen me through before) joyfully answered yes!! Oh, how I cried. For joy, for relief, for shock, for shame that I hadn't believed, and for gratitude for those who had. It turned out that the spotting was because I had partial previa, which meant I had to stop carrying Mikayla (remember that trip to Canada!) and Mike got to take over vacuuming (yaay), and by February, that was gone! But also in February, after fasting and drinking that sucrose water stuff, I was driving myself to the hospital to have blood drawn, on snowy and icy-but-I-didn't-know-it roads, and got in an accident. Thank the Lord, again the baby and I were okay! Finally, on March 30, 2004, little Rebecca Ann was born. It was the least dramatic/traumatic birth of all! Mostly because the hospital we used FINALLY invested in a continual drip epidural thingy--again, thank You Lord! ;) The next day one of our students was holding Rebecca as I was taking a shower with my Mom's help, when she suddenly yelled, "Grandma!!" Mom went to see what was going on and Rebecca was blue. They ran her to the nurse's station, and the nurse grabbed her and ran down the hall to some machine that pumped her stomach. It happened 4 times before we went home from the hospital. I was more nervous to take her home than I had been with my first-born! But it never happened again. Every time I look at my Rebecca, I marvel at God's grace, His protection, and His healing hand. I could so easily not have her...but I do. I get to hear her say she wants skabetti for supper, and ham and an apple for breakfast. (?) I get to see her brown eyes just like her Gran's, and curly hair like me. I get her kisses and hugs and cuddles. I don't deserve it...but God is so good to me. Thank You, Father!

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Age 6

Happy Birthday, Rebecca!