The Greatest Journey

15 Years ago I gave birth to a toddler.

Okay, so maybe he was really a newborn.
But you should have seen the looks on all the other newborn faces in the nursery line-up at the maternity ward.  They all thought that the new kid in the line-up was a 3 month old bully-baby who was in because he just got into a fight. 

Arriving in the world at 10 lbs. 8 oz, it is safe to say that his first battle with the world began with.....birth.  He was big, beat up, had a broken colar bone, and while I could give more details about his arrival into the world that would embarass him, I will just sum it up by saying his fight to get here was one that he almost didn't survive.  Let alone survive without severe permanent damage. (his sisters would argue that there was, in fact, permanent damage involved)

I would not have been able to survive that.  I can barely even say the words now when I stop and think how things may have turned out.

15 years ago, the greatest journey of my life began with the arrival and survival of the greatest miracle of my life.

January 4th, 1997
It was an atypical, balmy 60-some degrees here in Iowa.
One that was appropriately (and perhpas prophetically) suitable for a round of golf. 


Immediately after Nathan (meaning: gift from God) was born, the doctors and nurses whisked him away.  As the crowd of specialists surrounded him, the only thing I could see was his upper thigh.  And I distinctly remember my very first thought after seeing him:

He is fat.

And then, I heard him cry.
And let me just say, that was the sweetest song that I have ever heard.

I have been blessed beyond measure to witness 15 years of
changing
growing
and transforming
into this amazing
solid
godly
 young man. 

And in the process
I am challenged to change
grow
and transform
as a mother....
...which has been
by far
the GREATEST journey of my life. 

Dear Nathan,

I am so proud of you

Am so thankful for you

And I love you with my whole heart.

I know that it is your birthday

And the gifts are all yours,

But on this day

I cannot help but to think about

The day of  your birth

And how the gift

Was

And still is

For me.

Happy Birthday, Kid.

Love, mama