"Do you believe in miracles?"

Aside from the famous 1980 US Hockey Team, do you believe in miracles? How about tender mercies? Well, I don't think I ever doubted that such things happen, I just have been too ungrateful to recognize a significant number of them in my life... until this morning. To provide you with some background, my brother, Richard, was supposed to be blessing his new baby girl this morning in Philadelphia. This is the same brother that we have enjoyed living near for the past year, and now they are leaving. However, just before they move, my oldest sister, Alycia, and her family move to Doylestown (45 min. from us). How is it that a family from Holladay, UT ends up with 3 kids within 45 minutes of each other on the East Coast? Oh, and by the way, another brother, Douglass, lives 8 hours down the coast in North Carolina; and my younger sister, Bonnijane just happens to be doing an externship at Doug's institution.

To make a long story short, all but 2 of my siblings were gathered for this baby blessing. Making it even better, my parents were able to come out, too! It was going to be a wonderful time with all of us, letting all the cousins run wild. Then the call came.

"I think they're going to admit me."

"What?"

"Yep, they just talked to the perinatal specialist and given my history he wants them to observe me overnight and give me steroids- just in case."

Those are never the words you want to have finish a phrase- Just in case. However, Kathryn and I both felt at peace that we were in good hands and that all would be well. Besides, she was 32 wks pregnant and had already put the crib together and the newborn clothes washed- what was there to worry about?

Once the news of Kathryn's incarceration (OK, admission, but for theatrical purposes please indulge me a little) hit the Black family cell phones, the planned Saturday evening gathering was moved to Hellertown. Our home is best described as quaint, so cram 25 related people into it and call it chaotic. We loved every minute of it. We would have loved it even more if Kathryn could have been with us. But "just in case" had come calling.

When the party started to subside and families were returning to their various locales for sleep, I asked my father to accompany me to give Kathryn a blessing. It was a very calm experience to be the voice of a blessing from our Heavenly Father, reassuring His daughter that all would be well, that the child was ready, and she would have the strength and faith she would need to get through it. Upon finishing the blessing and heading back home I thought I'd give "Just in case" a run for its money. I asked my parents to spend the night with us- you know, "just in case" something progressed and Kathryn would end up in labor.

It's a good thing I did because I got a call from Kathryn @ 3:30 AM saying they'd be taking her for a C-section. The darn kid was standing in the exit route- he apparently isn't a head-first type of thrill seeker. I hurried and got ready (don't worry, I brushed my teeth just like Kathryn taught me) and hurried off to the hospital. My parents would be at home with my kids- just in case- like we planned!

It really pays off to have security clearance with my ID badge at times like that. It saved me 10 minutes at least. I was able to get right back into Kathryn's pre-op room just before they took her to the OR. Since she had been on aspirin during this pregnancy they had to give her general anesthesia, which can be dangerous for the baby. However, we continued to feel that all was well, and that our family was in good hands. Within 20-30 minutes, our beautiful little miracle was delivered. Why we bake them fast, I'm not sure! But one thing I do know is that God orchestrates his family to be where they need to be, when they need to be there. Not only were we blessed with a beautiful, healthy baby, but our children were cared for by family members for the entire day. Although I'm sad I didn't get to participate in Richard's baby blessing of Adrienne, I'm grateful that we had all been able to spend some time together. Making it even more special was that my parents got to see grandkid #22 ( and Black grandson #2 behind Jackson) before they had to leave to go back to Utah. This tender mercy will forever be remembered in our family. Do you believe in miracles? I do!