29 years ago

I was in the hospital, giving birth to my one and only child. I was certain it was a boy, even had him named "David". So after a day of feeling like I had the flu, and four hours of intense discomfort, finalized in a half hour of agony, when the doctor said "Here she is," I asked her to check. And she said "Check for yourself" and handed me the most beautiful baby girl. David went out the window, hello Laurie.

I was a single parent at a time when it was VERY unusual to be a single parent. I think the ladies in my room at the hospital were completely confused because I had five men come and visit me while I was recuperating--ah the old days, where they let you stay an entire week--and none of them was the father.

I look back now and wonder how I survived it all. The being "odd", the stress of working, finding daycare, finding a place to live--more than once. I can only say that God was watching over me, He sent so much help my way it was amazing. And now I look at this photo above (no, that wasn't me, that was Laurie with her second son), and think, how thankful I am to have had her, to have had these past 29 wonderful years and how thankful I am that I can be there for her.