Happy Birthday, Anna Mei

Hello, all--

Tonight I put to bed a sleepy 8-year-old, knowing that as the sunlight gradually overtakes the night, Anna Mei will begin the coming year as a 9 year-old. It hardly seems possible.
Tonight, she asked again to hear the story of the day she was born. She never seems to tire of it.

Nine years ago tomorrow morning (May 9), Tony called me from his office to say that by the afternoon, a baby we hoped to call our own would be born at the hospital. I was taking care of Jillian, who wasn't feeling well, at the house. Thirty minutes later, Tony called back to say he was on his way to pick me up and we would head for the hospital--things had moved along more quickly than anticipated. Even then, this little one was in a hurry!

"Aunt" Aurora stayed with one year old Jillian. Tony and I arrived at the hospital just after a 7 lb. 2 oz., 20 1/2 inch bundle of energy and joy entered this world. I carried her from the delivery room to the hospital nursery. I rocked her and sang her special song--"My Help Comes From the Lord" by The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. (She loved it, of course.)

It was an exciting day--Tony returned home late in the afternoon to find a fire truck, an ambulance and a small army of emergency personnel at our house--Jillian had become worse, and Aurora had called for help. She was hospitalized at a different hospital from Anna Mei, so I left our sleeping newborn in the loving care of her nurses, and met Tony and Jillian at the ER.

Two days later, the sisters came home from their hospitals.
In the house, Jillian climbed up on the couch, held out her arms and said, "Hold her!" And she did, with her little arms propped up on pillows.

Now, my two "big girls" consider themselves "pre-teens." Without a doubt, they are the "big sisters" of this tribe.

Happy Birthday, Anna Mei. You are every inch your nicknames...

Anna-mazing

Anna Mei-tion

Peanut

We are blessed, indeed.

Grace and peace!