Birthday Stories

Today is my birthday. Every year as I was growing up, at my bedtime on my birthday, Mommy would come up and tell me my birth story. She would tell me how she went into labor, but the doctor had to do a cesarean because my older brother was cesarean. She would tell me how she wanted to be awake for my birth, but the spinal tap didn't kick in fast enough, so one doctor wanted to put her to sleep, but the other doctor gave it just a bit more time. She would tell me how that doctor broke hospital protocol and let Daddy carry me to the nursery. And she would tell me about how much curly black hair I had.

I loved hearing my story every year. It was my story. It told me how I was special and how much I was loved right from the beginning. And how I have never been good at "following the rules."

This year, I heard my story early. Mommy told me my story as I was in labor with my baby. She told me my story, and bits of each of my siblings stories. Each of them were different, each one was special. Eamon now has begun a story of his own - different from every other birth story that ever happened. It is amazing to think that each child who was ever born has their own unique story, just as each of them is creating their unique own story.

It was a good day. Birthday's aren't the "best day ever" like they used to be, but today was a day where I was reminded that I am loved by so many people, that I am special, and that I have a story of my own. And it reminded me that my story isn't done yet. Each day, I get to work on my story. It may be a little daunting because I don't know all the twists and turns this story may take. But I know that God is working in my life and making it something beautiful. And I know that someday the ending will read, "And they lived happily forever after."

So now the great debate is, should I do NaNoWriMo and begin to write Eamon's story as it happens? Or should I just keep a few short notes in a journal for later? I have only a few weeks to decide. :-)