Day 47 of 4 more years: Christmas Surprise Part 2
My Christmas surprise part 2: Yesterday I related the story of the month before Christmas in the Sargent household 1979….boredom turning to delicious candy! The praline saga continued yesterday. I made 4 batches, and I am still recovering from sugar highs! And that is from the crumbs!
But in 1979, I spent December 24th feeling a profound respect for Mary. The last few weeks of a pregnancy are tough for most women, but to add a ride on a donkey for any distance? "No way, Joseph, guess you'll have to go alone," would have been my response! Mary's obedience took on a whole new meaning for me. And still does! But I was ready…. sort of….for the baby to come.
Christmas Day came and my parents, Scott's parents, his brother and grandmother joined us for the first and only time in Arlington. Thanks to my two Moms and a handy dishwasher (Scott), we got through the holiday. They left. See you soon, real soon! Then I felt the unmistakable feeling of (you guessed it) contractions. Oh, no… but baby said, oh yes! This little baby wanted to come on December 25. Then the praying started for me. I did not want our baby to share a birthday with Jesus. It just didn't seem right, and almost as important, my decorations were still up! No way was I coming home from the hospital with a new baby and the chore of packing up Christmas. So, for the first and only time ever in his life, Scott helped me with this task. You see, Scott was a generous, wonderful man but he did not share my love of Christmas decorations. One of his all-time favorite days was when the house got back to "normal!" Strange partners, weren't we? But Scott saw my face, "the handwriting on the wall," and pitched in. I mean really "in." While I laid on the couch, directing the post-production process and holding back the baby, Scott worked tirelessly. And what took weeks to put up came down in hours! Now, all was done, the day was almost done and ok, baby, it is the 26th, you can come now. Relief spilled over us; it is ok, we can do this. Let's go baby. I guess December 26 wasn't the day, but it sure wasn't Christmas Day!
We rushed to the hospital in the wee hours of December 27 and almost didn't make it, but that story is for another time. My second surprise was….the baby was a boy! We were totally surprised. Yes, my husband was a radiologist and we had several sonograms. But nothing was determined. This was a shock to us and a pleasant one. If you have read my earlier posts, you know how I feel about valuing having a boy over a girl or vice versa, but I do value healthy babies! And our baby boy was a healthy surprise. And his sisters were so proud of him, too. Dan was blessed with three mothers from day one! Scott was delighted to have a son also, but he was equally happy with his daughters. He just wasn't like that: a man that had to have a son. Oh, but he adored that little boy! It was a blessed, amazing, wonderful day! Our hearts were full of gratitude for our after-Christmas surprise! God had once again performed His amazing miracle of birth! He never, ever ceases to amaze and surprise us, does He?
Merry Christmas, dear ones!
I cherish this not so Christmasy verse:
"He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord, His God. And they will live securely, for then His greatness will reach to the ends of the earth, and He will be their peace."
Micah 5:4-5
Pray:
Heavenly Father, I pray that the Prince of Peace will reign in our hearts today. and the miracle will be new for us as we worship the baby Jesus.
Amen
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