My Christmas Eve Miracle
Let me tell you a story about a little lady, and this little lady’s name is Caroline. She was a gift to our family from day one. I was pregnant with this little lady and was set to deliver her on March 5th, 2004. On December 20th, 2003, my oldest daughter Carlee and I were Christmas shopping at a Christian bookstore. Carlee was only five years old at the time. While we were standing in the store, my water broke. The biggest concern obviously was that I was still ten weeks away from delivery, but I was able to get myself and Carlee in the car and drove to meet my husband. When we got to the doctor’s office they ran a few tests and looked at us and told us that we were having a baby the same day. In complete denial, I said no we are not while the doctor continued to assure me that we were. The following days would prove to be quite the test for our little family.
My doctor had already called the hospital to tell them we were on our way. We arrived and immediately the nurses began doing what they could to get her lungs prepared to come into the world so early, I still could not believe everything was happening this way. I spent the next three days on bed rest being filled with meds and getting ready for delivery at any moment. On December 24th around 6:00 p.m., I sent my husband Brian home to move Christmas presents to my Mom’s house for Carlee. I was alone at this point, and everyone was home getting ready to help Carlee make the best of Christmas without her mom and dad, something that she and us both were really struggling with. Around 8:00 p.m., I got out of bed and waddled to the bathroom, and when I sat down I knew something wasn’t right. I called for the nurse and she checked me and this set everything in motion, she told me that I would be delivering within the hour.
My husband was called and as he walked through the door nurses put him in scrubs and got him ready for the operating room. At 9:16 p.m. our sweet little lady came into the world. She was so tiny, she was only 3 lbs. and 1 oz. I got to see her for only a few seconds before they took her to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I was then taken to recovery and Brian got to stay with her. That sweet baby girl didn’t even have a name yet because we thought we had ten more weeks to make a decision. One of our sweet cousins got us a baby name book and brought it to the hospital, and we then started working on a name. I wanted it to start with the letter C, so my husband got busy and it did not take long at all. Not even ten minutes later he closed the book and said that her name is Caroline.
I asked why he was so sure that was the right name, and then he told me the meaning. The meaning of the name Caroline is “little woman born to be commanding and strong”. I quickly agreed that was the perfect name, and she sure did live up to that name from the very beginning. Passing every milestone with leaps and bounds, Caroline quickly gained weight and came home after only 30 days in the NICU after they told us they were sure it would be at least 90 days before she could come home. I praised God because we could finally be together as a family at our home, and I continue to praise God again as every prayer sent up on her behalf was answered. Ironically, that Christmas Eve miracle will turn 18 years old this week. She has lived up to that name in more ways than one over the last few years. She is so strong, has the kindest heart, and has a personality as big as the moon. Our Carol, as her friends call her, is truly the perfect Christmas gift from God and one that we still celebrate even 18 years later. Caroline continues to be one of our biggest blessings and always will be!
Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. -2 Corinthians 9:15
