Ten years ago today, our lives were forever changed.
Forever changed in two very big ways.
The first, that we welcomed Baby #2 into our family and we became a family of four.
The second, not only had we welcomed another baby, but I had given birth to a baby born with an undetected birth defect in the form of a cleft lip and cleft palate.
And thus, ten years ago today we began this journey, Rachel's Journey.
The days following Rachel's birth were ones filled with disbelief, shock, sadness, grief, and to be perfectly honest...we questioned the prayers we'd prayed for nine months for a healthy baby.
You see, Hannah, our firstborn, had many health problems her first year of life, including three weeklong hospital stays, and surgery. It was a rough and stressful first year. We prayed fervently for Baby #2 to be born healthy, with all its fingers and toes and limbs. And when Rachel was born with a birth defect, we were left perplexed as to why God didn't answer that prayer request.
But He did answer our prayers.
Rachel was born perfectly healthy.
Rachel had no other syndromes or diseases that often times accompany cleft lips and cleft palates. She had all her fingers, toes, and limbs. And in all actuality, what Rachel was born with, was fixable. It took several surgeries, but it's fixed. However, it does continue to be a big part of Rachel's life, and ours, to this day...
If it weren't for her birth defect, she wouldn't have needed braces at the age of 9 1/2 years old.
If it weren't for her birth defect, she wouldn't have needed years and years of one on one speech.
If it weren't for her birth defect, she wouldn't have more surgeries down the road.
But more importantly...
If it weren't for her birth defect, we wouldn't be able to give God all the glory for all the prayers He has answered in the last ten years.
If it weren't for her birth defect, we wouldn't be able to give God all the glory for how wonderful things have turned out for Rachel in the terms of having just the right doctors, and acquiring the best Speech Therapist all around.
If it weren't for her birth defect, we wouldn't have started this blog and been able to provide information and encouragement for the families who started a similar journey to Rachel's after us.
This journey hasn't always been easy, nor has it been one without tears. But on this special day, Rachel's 10th birthday, we celebrate this journey...For how far the Lord has brought us and carried us, and for the road ahead, where He already knows whats ahead and what we'll need when the time comes...
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful..."
~ Psalm 139:14
