The 31 Day of Writing Challenge continues. It’s Day 5 of my 31 Days of Gratitude.

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On Monday, my sweet Bella turned 13 years old. 13! A teenager! It is so hard to believe.Today she had a birthday party with her closest friends and it was lovely to see her laughing and having fun with them.

I still remember vividly the day that I found out I was pregnant. It was Valentine’s Day 2001. We had been trying to get pregnant for a year with no luck. In January, we went on a pilgrimage to Rome for our 1st Anniversary. The prayer of our heart during that pilgrimage was that we’d be blessed with a child. God, in his mercy, finally answered that prayer. I was rereading Bella’s birth story and reminiscing about it all. Here is what I wrote that Valentine’s Day:

February 14, 2001

It is Valentine’s morning and I still can’t believe it. I suspected that our dream was finally coming true so I took a pregnancy test. I followed the procedure then closed my eyes while I waited for the results. I prayed three Hail Marys that I would accept God’s will graciously. After the last prayer I slowly opened my eyes and looked at the test… there it was! How many times have I seen that awful negative result but this time it was positive. There is a little one growing inside me!

Your Daddy was in the kitchen so I went in there and asked him to close his eyes and hold out his hands to receive a Valentine’s gift I wanted to give him. He did so and I then placed his hands on my stomach and told him to open his eyes. With a puzzled look he said, “What?” I said, “Guess!” His eyes grew wide and with astonishment he exclaimed, “You’re pregnant?! Are you sure?” I convinced him that it was true and we just hugged each other and cried. There are no words to describe our joy and gratitude to God for answering our prayers. I’m still in shock…but I will never forget the moment I learned of the existence of my little one. Blessed be God!

It brings tears to my eyes when I think of that tiny little baby that arrived a month early and had to stay in the NICU for 11 days. When we brought her home was ecstatic and petrified. There were no more nurses to guide me and help me along. I was on my own. I’ll admit those first couple of months were the toughest. I don’t know who cried more – me or her. But eventually we got into a rhythm and we both found our way. Since then, everyday she has brought sunshine to my life, even on the bad days.

For six years it was just the three of us as we dealt with secondary infertility and miscarriages but eventually God answered our prayers again with three little boys in a row. Now it feels like just me and Bella in a house of boys and I cherish that female bond.

Bella is still as sweet as she was when she toddled around next to me and I marvel as I watch her cross over from little girl to young lady.

So today, I am grateful for my dear Bella who made me a mother for the very first time. Blessed be God!

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