Blessings

I can't believe Julia Carter is going to be 3 years old tomorrow! Every night at bedtime, I put my hand on each of the girls' hearts and bless them. To Emily, I say, "God bless you and heal your heart." It's the same blessing I have pronounced over her since she was 5 years old, when I started. To Julia, I say, "God bless you. God thank you for the Miracle and Gift of Julia." The story behind both of their blessings involve their brother. Julia's blessing is a daily thanksgiving to God for giving her to us after losing her brother... for our "Rainbow Baby". It is also a daily reminder that He healed her heart Supernaturally upon birth. We will never forget when the Cardiologists could not find the heart problem, even though they (and other!) Cardiologists had diagnosed her with it while she was still in my womb. We were part of a special Fetal Anomalies Clinic at UAB for my pregnancy. My labor and her delivery were traumatic and scary and involved a four-hour ambulance ride to UAB and "normal" birth when it was supposed to be my third c-section. Immediately after birth, she was rushed (per the plan) to the Cardiac NICU. Less than a day later, they did her first Echo-cardiogram, and found nothing but a PERFECT heart! 48 hours after birth, she was discharged to come home! Six weeks later, after another follow-up visit, she was officially discharged from her Cardiologist's care! She had Emily and Ethan's Cardiologist for exactly ONE appointment. My family knows heartache and loss very well. And we also recognize the Miracles of God, and the three Perfect Gifts He has given us. We don't ever want to take them for granted! Happy Birthday to our Julia Carter Lane!