Tuesday, August 4, 2009

My Birthday Gift


Today is my birthday and on this day last year is when I got to bring Ruby home from the hospital ,after her birth and two week stay in the NICU.I don't think I will ever receive a more wonderful birthday gift.

We had been told she would have to stay in the NICU until she was feeding well, which could take weeks and weeks, and if she couldn't eat enough she might have to have a feeding tube placed in her stomach.Well,my wonderful husband said what if you are giving her feedings too close together and she isn't hungry enough at each feeding.The doctor listened and changed her to demand feeding,as soon as they did that Ruby started eating wonderfully every 4 hours!We got to bring her home after 24 hours of feeding well.

When Ruby was born and we found out she had Down syndrome I felt like I had aged many years in just a few minutes,when she turned six months old it seemed like it had been an eternity,now at one year it seems that it passed quickly.I have come to know her and accept her Dx,she has changed so many things in me.What a perfect gift God gave me!

I read this following quote in an old christian devotional book, written by,Jessie Rice Sandberg ,from the 1960's.I think she said it perfectly:


" Trouble is a strange thing.It arrives in dark robes of despair and uncertainty,and not until it is already behind us do we recognize that our unwelcome intruder has been God's love and mercy in disguise.How often the Lord uses difficulty to give us"the best" in place of "the good."


Thank you my precious Ruby.


16 comments:

Tausha said...

I need to go get me a tissue now. How sweet is your post. Happy Birthday!!

Beverly said...

Happy Birthday Cheryl! I loved that quote, I just might use it in my class project. Such a wonderful post!

SunflowerStories said...

Spoken like a mother in love! Beautiful!

Lacey said...

Happy Birthday!!

Anonymous said...

hApPy BiRtHdAy!!!

Best wishes for today and always!

Monica Crumley said...

That's so beautiful. What a precious gift. Happy Birthday to you. May each year be a wonderful reminder of the gift that Ruby is to you. My little guy came home on Thanksgiving. I take that as a good thing, too :-)

Evelyn Parham said...

Happy Birthday! I love your post and the quote..it spoke volumes to me. Blessings,

Evelyn

Ria said...

Happy Birthday! You got the best birthday gift.

To Love Endlessly said...

Happy Birthday! I needed tissues for this one.

Laura said...

Happy Birthday....and Miss Ruby is a perfect gift!!! What a beautiful post!

Michelle said...

Happy Birthday. A beautiful post!

Stephanie said...

Cheryl, what a moving post. Happy Birthday! That quote is so perfact. Do you mind if I borrow it? I think it sums up our feelings so perfectly.

Heather said...

I love that quote and I too might have to borrow it if it's alright.Seems so fitting for me and my journey thus far with zoey.Happy Belated Birthday!

Jeri Norris said...

Just wanted to say I love your blog. I work with Bob Stephenson at LFBC & have been keeping up with Ruby's life via your blog & updates from Bob. I stole your quote from Wednesday...it is so true. I'm going thru some stuff right now & that quote really hit me. God bless you, Ruby & the rest of the family.

Sharon said...

I love your quote, I feel the same way: having Maia has enriched my life. She was born just before my birthday so we put her birth announcement in the newspaper on my birthday. An extra special gift for me too!

Michelle said...

I can't believe how far behind on blogging I am! Sorry this is so late, but happy belated birthday!