For darling Hannah

Celeste was just five months old, I felt pregnant but was too scared to believe it and kept searching for signs and more signs and even more signs until one day I told Ben who laughed it out wondering how on earth is it possible-we had waited and prayed for almost a year and a half before Celeste was finally conceived and here is something that seemed to have happened absolutely instantly and out of time. The home-kit showed positive. But you know, at such times, we generally feel the home kit may have gone wrong and so rushed to the gynaec. Inside, I was bubbling with excitement at the thought of being pregnant again.  My first pregnancy was so beautiful that I just wanted to go through it all again. Here's what the gynaec said, 'Theres nothing we can do-its already three months.' 'Oh no! I want this baby, I dont want you to do anything' I answered.

Ben was stunned.  Do things like this happen. Yes, there were a couple of people who had gone through something similar.  But how could it be? So soon?

Reactions from people varied, most ranging from stunned to the ones who looked at us as if we had done something terribly absurd to others who shamelessly questioned us about how could we have not been careful after being educated to a handful who were genuinely happy.  At times I wondered, children are a gift of the Lord and if Celeste came after so much of praying and the second baby was just handed in as a bonus, why were people so judgemental.  Afterall, we were married and this was a baby conceived out of pure love.  I considered myself really blessed to have been entrusted by God with a second baby so soon.

I did go through a really difficult emotional time during this pregnancy though.  Handling Celeste as well as taking care of myself was taking its toll, especially on little Celeste and I felt terrible about it.  But she grew more and more understanding and the beautiful little things she did kept me going.  Every move the baby inside made was getting me even more excited.  All through I kept believing for a supernatural delivery.  Not once did I ever feel like I didnt want this baby.

Finally one morning I woke up realizing my waterbag had bursted.  I woke up everyone at home letting them know it was time to go to the hospital.  I was admitted at about 11:00 am and the gynaec told me that labor had begun but I would probably being the last stage only by about 03:00-04:00 pm.  At about 12:30 the pains were increasing.  Because I was praying for a supernatural delivery I felt a little disappointed. I began singing -

'I just keep trusting in my Lord as I walk along,
I just keep trusting in my Lord and He gives me a song,
Though the storm clouds darken in the sky over the heavenly trails
I just keep trusting in my Lord, He will never fail.
He's a faithful friend, such a faithful friend
I can count on Him, till the very end.'

In about 20 minutes a nurse passing by noticed me and rushed to the doctor.  The first thing the doctor told me when she arrived was 'dont push'! My baby was already on its way out, way ahead of the time the doctors predicted! At 01:15 pm the doctor said 'its a girl' and Ben was elated. 'Its a girl!' he repeated and the screaming baby was silent the second she heard him call to her!  I was amazed.  I had no stitches for this delivery and was back home within 24 hours doing absolutely fine.

She was beautiful. Tiny eyes. Slept through the night and did so for almost all nights that followed. Cried only when she needed a feed or a change.  Observed and adjusted.  An unbelievable child.  Perfect in every sense. A companion that Celeste needed so much. And so we believe, 'Every good and perfect gift is from above' James1:17 The Holy Bible.  We knew we had been favored by God and this was a very very precious gift and so we named her Hannah Natania.

Even today, each time I look at her I can only understand how perfect are the gifts that come from God in His time.  When He blesses He truly adds no sorrow to it.