Happy Birthday to Us!
OK it is not really my birthday today.
It is my baby girls Birthday. She is 21, Heaven help Me!
My beautiful baby girl has become a woman. She is sensitive, intuitive, tender hearted and kind. She is a very loyal and supportive friend. She loves her home and her family and she loves music!
She is the most beautiful daughter in the whole world, to me.
But most importantly, she is alive!!!
My Julianna was born at 22 weeks gestation.
She weighed in at a whopping 1 and 1/2 pounds and was 10″ long.
Her entire body fit into the palm of my husbands protective hands.
Julianna was a surprise birth to a beautiful young teenage girl who was completely unprepared to be a mommy. She made the most unselfish choice that a mother can make to insure life for her child. A life that she was unable to provide herself.
I have loved and honored Julianna’s birth mother so much for the past 21 years that soon after Julianna became our daughter, I began to dream of serving the brave women who choose adoption over abortion. I was not one of those brave women. When I was faced with an unplanned pregnancy, I choose the lesser way out. I chose abortion.
Just a few months ago, my dream came true and our ministry added a licensed adoption agency to our family of services called “The Woven Basket”.
Julianna’s youngest brother Andy, who works in my ministry, attended one of our first adoptions this past week. He called me on his way home from the hospital after being invited to be present during the moments when the birth mother presented her newborn baby to his new parents. My son could barely speak as he attempted to explain the bittersweet beauty of the process. He described the sweetness of God that filled the room. He described the prayers that each of them prayed for the new baby and the new family that God had put together for him. He described the love the adoptive family expressed for the birth mother and the love that she shared back with them. I was falling apart in my kitchen just hearing Andy describe the scene.
I have experienced those precious moments.
21 years ago God placed a newborn baby girl in my arms.
The Doctors said, she will probably not live.
The Doctors said, if she does, she will be severely disabled.
The Doctors said, she will may be blind, not able to hear, not able to thrive and live a healthy life.
My husband and I used to go back and forth to the hospital several times a day to visit our precious daughter during the 3 long months before we were allowed to bring her home.
We went there to pray for her. To Touch her and sing to her. We went to be her Mommy and Daddy.
We would place our hands upon her, when our hands mostly covered her entire body, and we would say what God said!
Julianna, God says, He knit you together in your mothers womb.
Julianna, God says, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Julianna, God says, He has a plan for you and it is good and not evil.
Julianna turns 21 today. The Doctors were wrong and God was right!!
Happy Birthday to us!!
Happy Birthday to you my darling daughter!
I love you,
Mom
You aren't suppose to make me cry…I'm at work. I'm going to blame it on the fact it is 4 am and this is my fourth day in a row to work. Tell Jules I said Happy Birthday!!!
How beautiful…the post, your son's reaction and of course, Julianna. Happy Birthday…Gift from God!
My daughter just gave birth to Juliana. Since there are 2 "n's" in your daughter's name, it's probably pronounced Julie Anna? Our granddaughter's is pronounced Julie Ona. Love both names. 🙂
Jane,
It makes me cry to think of you crying! You sweetheart!
I thought you were gone but I guess it is today…Have fun!
p
Hi Lisa, can't wait to see you next week!
Yes, she has a variety of "names"…Jules, Julie ona, our Hispanic friends call her "Whooliona".
My honey calls her "punkin" still today!
Julianna is still my favorite!
Blessings!
What a wonderful testimony to God and His great love for the tiniest humans He created. Happy Birthday, Julianna!
Happy Birthday Julianna! BTW, she's simply beautiful. What a precious story of God's grace and mercy.
Ok, I am crying now! Oh, how beautiful. The doctors said…but God!
Happy Birthday to your family!
Happy Birthday to your beautiful Julianna! That story gives me chills every time I hear it. Hoping to get to chat with you next week….. Have safe travels
God is good in so many ways!For bringing Julianna to us and for bringing us to Julianna! She is beautiful inside and out and she is excited about being an "adult"! oh, yeah, baby! the fun has just begun! Love to her and to you!
Paula
You are the only comment that I clicked on from LysaT's blog. People were sharing such personal revelations and then there you were w/"can I your brownies?" which was exactly the kind of funny comment I wanted to leave. 🙂
How thrilled I am that the Lord led me here today. What a precious testimony of your daughters life. I was adopted by a precious family 40 years ago (as newborn), and can't believe how thankful I am that my birth mother made such an unselfish choice. I am thankful daily for my family and the generational legacy that He has given us. 🙂
Oh Pat, that just made me cry! Simply beautiful. Isn't God something? I just love that HE is in control!! Miss you.
Hugs-
Jennifer
Pat, it's so beautiful and such a great testimony. Happy birthday to Julianna!