Miracles

I was reading a blog today and it occurred to me to write about the miracles I asked for from my Lord. Gosh, I remember when Holly told us about Carleigh for the first time. It was close to our family vacation for Christmas. Our trip we had been planning for 3 years to the big island of Hawaii. We all had been looking forward to that trip for so long and it was here and now it felt less exciting with the news we had just heard. But, we were All going as a family, John, myself, Jason, Katrina, Audrey, Anthony, Holly, Kyndra, Hannah, and Carleigh. My loving, happy family all together for Christmas in a place where we LOVE to go.
I had been praying for Carleigh from the minute I heard. My prayers were for God to heal her. I wanted her to be a "normal" baby. What's normal? I thought about it so much on that trip and every time I prayed that way something kept coming back to me that I was wrong for asking. (now, that is just me) So, from that point on I started praying differently. My prayers were the same every time. "Lord, we thank you for Little Carleigh growing inside of Holly and Father I lift her up to you, if you can give us a miracle Lord, we will take anything you give us, but can you please let her be a beautiful color and not purple when she is born, Holly doesn't want her to be purple, can that be our miracle, Lord?" And so, that became my prayer everyday.
I won't lie and tell you I didn't break down and sob when she was born because I did and had to have people hold me up because I wept so hard. I so desperately wanted her to be born alive for my daughter's sake but it wasn't meant to be. But, what I did witness that day of Carleigh's birth was that the Lord kept his promise to me and when I looked at her she was a little purple and Holly explained it was because of her birth. She later turned a beautiful pinkish color and stayed that way. I was on my knees by Holly's bed and thanking God for the miracle he sent me and promised me. I always thought everyone gets miracles from God when am I going to receive one from Him, and you know what, I finally did, on the day of my granddaughters birth. Did I cry uncontrollable tears? Absolutely. I am only human and it is part of the process. Of which I will write later.
But, Thank you Jesus for being so ever faithful to us when we don't deserve it. We should stop and think that we should be just as faithful to you as you are to us. I love you for who you are and what you mean to us.
Back to Hawaii, (sorry, I rambled) we are standing on lanai (patio) and overlooking the pool and the view. The warm breeze and the smell of the flowers hit you with the wind. I am staring at the view of the ocean just looking around and taking it all in and I start to cry. Katrina asks me "What's wrong, mom?" and I tell her "I am just having a moment standing here thinking of Carleigh and realizing we are here in Hawaii and this is the next best thing to paradise this side of Heaven". "From this point on, when I say Paradise 1 I am talking of Heaven and when I say Paradise 2 I am talking about Hawaii". That's what it feels like to me. And in the stillness of that lanai and the warm breezes and the smell of the flowers I felt a little connection with my unborn granddaughter.
We also went to a luau while there and we had decided we were not going to get our pictures taken because we didn't see the need or the expense. But , we were told they would take it but we had the option of buying it or not. So, we took the picture and when they came to our table and showed us the "FAMILY PORTRAIT" it turned out so good that we all had to have one so we bought 3 of them. Now when I look at the Family picture not only do I see all of us but, I look at Holly and know Carleigh is in that picture too even though you can't physically see her. Now the picture means more than ever as does the Family Hawaiian Vacation.