Todays Reflection

My Daughter turns 40 on Tuesday. I think about that time in my life, and I smile in my soul.

 That warm Sunday I had been visiting at Grandma Ruths.
Mom had come in from Austin to visit the family and offer moral support.
She'd been here for over a month. My first due date was between the 5th and 15th of May then the same dates for June and it was now July. (I didn't find out til years later that my birth mother had carried her first child for 10 months.)
 My husband was at bootcamp in Florida, and Dad had left on Sunday morning after a visit and was wanting her to come home. After all they were just past newly weds themselves. She told me "Sis I'm going to have to go home on Tue, so you better have this baby soon."
I think it was about midnight when I pointed the car across town, last old movie watched for the day.
A black cat crossed my path on the way and when I got to the trailer a mouse jumped out at me.
In a matter of about 45 mins labor started. I gave it about an hour unsure then went back to Grandma's, and woke mom up.
We talked for a little while and she observed me and the contractions. My little brother was only 3 so she had been through this not long before. Her labor lasted 36 hours and was hard, so she was concerned that at 16 mine might prove as difficult. I remember her holding my hand through the contractions, and I worried that I might hurt her, she stayed beside me and at 10:45pm on Monday July 17, 1972 my daughter was born. The only things I remember about the delivery room (as I had a totally natural birth no meds except for a local right before she arrived) was the Dr. screaming who let this child gain so much weight then the Nurse saying it's a girl and she is Beautiful!
  When I woke up shortly after midnight they brought this tiny bundle to me and laid her in my arms, I remember the feeling of wonder that engulfed me, as well as the love that seemed to pour out of my soul and surround that tiny miracle. I unwrapped her and checked each perfect finger and toe. After all of these years I am still over come by the love that I felt that day, and every time I look at this grown woman and the babies that she has had I am filled with love and wonder still for each one of them.
  I still miss the woman that helped me through that day, she has been gone almost 5 years, and tho she was only 8 years older than I she truly became MOM and she enjoyed being Grandma as much as any woman I have ever met. And tho my Dads dieing request to make things right between my child and myself has now come to pass, my life is now complete as I am able to hold her and her children in my arms without reservation and admitt Love has come full circle!

So even tho this is a story about me and how she got here I wish only to celebrate her birth day again with love!