The Beauty of Life

I have posted so infrequently lately that it is funny that I would do 2 in one day but I am on call and have 12 more hours until I can leave this place and, well, my mind is churning. It is usually, only, on call that I have a churning mind and a computer immediately on hand at the same time.

I had the privilege of delivering a friend's daughter today. Actually, she didn't really need me. She truly is the type of person that could have her baby at home except she refuses to go into labor on her own (not that I advocate home birth at all!). With barely a drop of medicine we had that baby out before lunch was over! Dakota Faith is beautiful and so are her mom & dad. We all go to church together. I still remember the day early last summer when she came to me and introduced herself and said that she had been following the blog and praying for me, for us. I just wanted to tell her 'Thanks'. And, Lord, thank you for reminding me why I signed up for this job, for reminding me how beautiful a new life is, whether that life is here for a few minutes, a few days, or a hundred years. I know she didn't really want to go past her due date but I am so glad that Dakota waited to come until I was home from our ski trip! My heart needed to be at Dakota's birth, even if Dakota didn't need any help!

The nurses on postpartum were also quietly talking about a family that gave birth yesterday to a daughter with anencephaly. To everyone's surprise the girl, Emma, was still alive today and even eating. The mom & dad took her home today, accompanied by a huge family and some hospice nurses. They said they just wanted to hold her for as long as they could.

Yes, every life is beautiful.