My Best Birthday Gift

Today is my birthday. It is hard to believe that I am already 52 – I remember anxiously waiting to turn 17 thinking it was such a mature sounding age...my how time flies. As I see time marching on, each year on my birthday I like to spend some time pondering my life, setting goals, and making plans for the coming year. I also always remember my special birthdays.

I remember my 16th birthday when my parents gave me an almost surprise birthday party. They planned the party for me, but on the day I was to be surprised my mom didn’t want me to not be prepared, so she told me that I was going to be surprised that evening. I always wondered if anyone believed that I was surprised when I showed up with my hair done professionally in my new dress! I also remember my 21st birthday because I was a newlywed of 1 day. We flew to Hawaii for our honeymoon and everything in life was brand new.

The birthday that I remember above any other is my 25th birthday – on that day I received the absolute best present a woman could ever receive, and that gift continues to bring me joy even today. I remember the whole day so well, as if it was yesterday.

I woke up early in the morning being 9 months and 12 days pregnant! I was expecting our 3rd child and was oh so overdue. I remember as I began working around my house that I vented my prayers to God (though I didn’t know the Lord personally at that time). I said something like… “Ok God, I am going to clean my house, do these dishes, and take my shower, and I sure hope this baby comes by then.”

My first contractions began while I was in the shower, yeah! I called my husband and told him that I was finally in labor – he was so frantic and panicking because my 2nd child was born only 23 minutes after I arrived at the hospital! Well, this little one didn’t come quite that fast – but this baby was ushered into the world to the sound of the Italian opera singer Luciano Pavarotti. The doctor that delivered the baby said, “This Italian baby is going to be born to Pavarotti!”

Though I had an ultrasound, the technicians were not able to confirm the baby’s gender. I am the only girl in my family with 4 younger brothers; my husband’s family also was 4 boys and 1 girl, so having a girl was rare in our family. I remember Nana saying, “Wouldn’t it be something if the baby was born on your birthday, and it was a girl?” Well it happened just that way and our precious daughter was born on my birthday. They sang Happy Birthday to me as soon as she was delivered.

I don’t think there is another birthday gift that can top that one! Psalm 127:3 says, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” Thank you Lord for all of my children, and for every gift that You have given to me. Happy Birthday to my precious baby girl, thank you for being such a joy to me, and for being my best birthday gift. I love you very much.

Have a wonderful day!

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