Miracles and a Nine Year Old Girl

Today is my daughter, Kendall's Ninth Birthday.  But this morning I am thinking back ten years to February 2001.  Rich and I were in the midst of fertility treatments and around this time the hormones I needed to take were kicking my butt.  I was over emotional and frustrated with the whole process.  We were actively looking at adopting from over seas and I was teaching full time.

My arms were empty and I was tired of it.  I was sick of being invited to another baby shower.  Sick of hearing that if I would just relax things would happen.  (Usually this advice was dispensed from  women who had  kids!)  Sick of spending money we didn't really have on all of the treatments.  Sick of wanting something so bad it seemed to consume my entire life. 

It was around this time that we decided we were going to give the treatments until June and then stop.  Four more months and we would be finished. 

I remember reading two stories in the Bible that affected me.  One was the story of Hannah.  Boy, did she ever want a baby!  I could relate to that.  She refused to eat and ended up trying to bargain with God.  Sounded a whole lot like me.  I had read the story before- but for some reason it stuck out at me this time.  I had been acting a lot like Hannah and it had gotten me nowhere.

The other story was of Elizabeth- the mother of John the Baptist.  She was old and had no children.  (I was 34- not super old, but I felt like it at the time.)  Instead of complaining and bargaining like Hannah, Elizabeth did her thing and trusted that God would work things out and God came through in a BIG way.

I felt as if I had come to a crossroads.  Which story was for me?  Hannah or Elizabeth?  I could lie and tell you that it took me seconds to figure that question out, but I'm not going to sugar coat it.  It took me days of thinking and praying and I finally decided to trust God, do my thing and if I ended up with a baby- great!  If not, I was going to stop the stressing and crying and complaining and see what else God had in store for me. 

I felt as if a weight were lifted off my shoulders.  I was somehow able to put up with the weekly Dr. visits, the shots, and everything else.  (Notice I did not say it was easy- but I was able to endure it.) 

At the last appointment in June to measure my egg follicles, I remember looking at Rich and telling him this was it.  When I went back Sat. afternoon to get my shot- I knew after this- no matter what the outcome- we were finished with it all. 

Around the 4th of July I was sick and wanted to eat vast amounts of cottage cheese.  Could it be? 

Yep,  I was pregnant.

Which brings me to Feb. 26, 2002 at 10:58pm in Scottsbluff Nebraska.  At that moment, Kendall Sierra Pedersen took her first breath- wailed her first cry- and life would never be the same again.  At 35 I was a first time Mom and unknown to me then- would welcome another baby (this time a boy) four years later. 

Do I believe in miracles? 
You bet. 

I'm the proud mother of two of them!  My oldest is nine today.  My youngest will be five in May. 

The doctors I went to didn't think my chances were good that I would ever have one baby.  I have two.

Have you been told something that seems impossible?  Is there something out there that seems unattainable?
Good.  You are now in a position to watch God do what he does best. 

Miracles.

I'm going to end today with a song by the Newsboys.  It's called "Impossible".  Let it sink into your bone marrow today.  God is the God of the impossible.....and I have the nine year old girl to prove it. 

I love you Kendall Sierra!