I Witnessed A Miracle

I was lucky enough to witness a miracle yesterday morning. I got a call at around 11:30pm Wednesday night. There is a friend of mine that was 7 days past due. We were all waiting for her to go into labor. I was on her list of people to call for when she goes into labor. I was 2nd on the list, my neighbor was first. I got the call because they could not get a hold of the first person. I jumped out of bed when I got the call and ran over to their house. First I did try to knock on my neighbors door because I saw all of her lights on and I figured, she must have gotten the message. Still no answer after ringing her door bell. I wanted to get a hold of her, not because I did not want to help, just because I knew how much she was looking forward to helping. No luck reaching her, a little worried about her because of no answer at the door, I went to help the expectant mother, Louisa.

Louisa had planned to deliver the baby at a birthing center that was about a half hour away. Her deliveries in the past have come quickly, this is her fourth baby. So they hired a birthing assistant to travel to the hospital with them. The birthing assistant arrived at the same time I did. They got Louisa into the car and off they went. 5 minutes later they were back. The birthing assistant, Heidi, said to me "I need you to go park the car for us, it is sitting right outside. (We all live in townhouse complexes and our parking spots are not always right in front of our house) We are back. The baby is coming" I went and parked the car. I came back in to witness the miracle. It all happened in minutes!!! The baby was here. They had laid out an air mattress for me, or whom ever would arrive to help take care of the kids. And on that air mattress is where the baby was born. Just as he, Harold, was born I heard one of the three children crying upstairs so I went to check on them. The ages of the other three kids are 5, 3, and almost 2. The 2 year old was crying so I comforted her but the oldest, Ruth Anne, heard us and woke up. She heard the baby crying and said "who is here with a baby?" I said, that is your baby. Your baby is here. She said, "oh mama, you look so tired. Is that because you just had a baby." Her mom and I do look a little alike. Both have short blond hair and I look like I am 9 months pregnant. I told Ruth Anne I was Sister Zabel and I came to help while mommy had her baby. We waited up in the room until it was safe to come down. None of knew yet what the sex was. I had rushed upstairs right as he came out and did not get a look or hear from them what sex the baby was. So we were waiting in suspense to know. Ruth Anne and I were talking about how this is more exciting than Christmas morning. We were waiting to go downstairs to see the best gift EVER!!! Finally we got to go down and see the baby. He was so pretty! The mommy asked for juice because she had some bottles of Snapple in her bag that she had been saving for the birthing center that she was anxiously waiting to drink. When Louisa asked for her juice she said "get everybody juice. Lets celebrate." So I handed out juice boxes and we all had a celebratory drink. The 3 year old was asleep through most of this. He is a little boy, just like men, they can sleep through anything. Eventually we went and woke him up and he joined the party. I stayed around until after 3am and got to love on the baby. The midwife had arrived shortly after Harold was born and was doing a great job taking care of Louisa and the baby.

The best part of being there was the birthing assistant and the midwife. They were so special. The kindest most gentle most calm women. They were old souls that brought such a great feeling into a room. At one point we were all in Louisa's room. Louisa and I in the bed. I was laying down holding the baby. The women were waiting on Louisa and started talking about music. And the three of them started to sing. The spirit was so strong. This is the way babies used to come into the world, at home, with the family. There was one point before Louisa left the house to go to the birthing center that she kept saying, "I am dying. I can't do this. It has to stop. I am not going to do this." The birthing assistant said, "you are already doing it." It was amazing how within minutes of the baby being here how calm and happy Louisa was. She was so happy. That is childbirth. In the middle of it you think you can't do it. Then it happens and you quickly forget what it feels like. Her delivery has me thinking about my next baby and how I am a "give me an epidural" type of girl. Maybe I will change my mind. Who knows. I am just grateful that I got to be there to witness a miracle.