Our lives are a miracle:

On Dec. 7th I got to visit St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home for their Christmas Party. This is the place I spent my first 12 days of life as my birth mother decided what to do.

It was a great part of my Advent as I pondered Mary's pregnancy, Joseph's job as a foster parent, and Jesus sacrificing so much to come into this world as an infant born in a stable.

The Cardinal decided we needed to get a picture together!

I can meditate on Mary because I have been pregnant 15 times. Many times I have been very full of life during Advent. (12 live births, three miscarriages. Two babies died very early in my pregnancy but my last loss was our sweet Steven Thomas who was almost 5 months old. It was a traumatic experience that we still feel the hole in our hearts. Not just the loss of our baby but the possibility of never getting pregnant again.) I am grateful for my wonderful children and people think I am crazy for wanting more...but if you knew my kids you would want more too!

The tombstone for Steven's plot at the baby cemetery at our parish

I can meditate on Joseph being a foster parent because I am a legal guardian of a wonderful almost two year old boy who we have had since he was 10 weeks old. Every time I beg God to just let us have full adoption of "our baby" so he can never be taken away from us...God says, "Trust! Ray is your baby just as much as the 12 you gave birth to. You are a "foster parent" to all your children...they are MINE and I have asked you to take care of them for me!"

Of course none of us can imagine the impact of God becoming Man...it is just a miracle that God gave us! I can relate to miracles. Not the kind of miracle that I was blind and now I can see...or I was cripple but now I can walk...but the MIRACLE OF MY LIFE.

I left St. Ann's with a contemplated heart...here I am with 12 of my 13 children in a building that I was given room in their "INN." My birth mom had found a haven in their "home" to decide what to do in a time of crisis. An unexpected pregnancy that was a "date rape" unknown to her family and most of her contacts, in 1968, a time when abortion was illegal but not impossible. I spent my first 12 days in this "INN" before I was placed in a foster home that was to be my permanent family for the rest of my life.

So, if you know me or not...like me or not...prolife or not...just ponder with me...if I was aborted...I would not be here...but even more moving and profound...my 12 children would not be here! They are pretty amazing by the way...and what of my little Ray? Where would he be? I can pretty much bet he wouldn't be in a family being spoiled with love by 12 siblings who thinks he rocks their world. Not to mention the balm of healing my husband and I have with him during the time of mourning two babies gone. He is the light in our darkness the extra boost we need to get up in the morning.

Look at my baby #13 looking at all the others..."ok Lord, what did you get me into???"

(Yes I know there are 14...my son in love has #1 just like my oldest)

So, my advent was spent pondering and being grateful for a woman who was in a crisis pregnancy who said yes to life and her small yes has brought about what I would say one hundred fold. This is just the beginning!!! The grandchildren haven't started to pour in yet...and I can't wait!!!

More miracles to add to my list.

Thank you Mary for saying yes to God, thank you Joseph for saying yes to God, thank you Jesus for saying yes to God, thank you birth mother for saying yes to God, thank you to my adoptive parents for saying yes to God. I will strive to always say yes to God to keep the miracles happening!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+