I had been having light contractions on and off all week-end.

I figured that it was just false labor, but I stayed off from my feet and drank extra water to be safe.  After all, it had been a difficult pregnancy, so better safe than sorry.

I referred to Mondays as Monday Madness because every Monday I had to spend the day having non-stress tests and ultra-sounds done.  Diabetes, age, and history of extreme hemmoraging put me in a very high risk group.

I woke up Monday feeling fine.  My husband and I headed out the door for our Monday Madness.  When we arrived at the hospital for the non-stress tests, the doctors and nurses were busy with a woman in the labor room. (We have a very small hospital.  Usually, there is no one else on the maternity floor except for us!) 

They got me all hooked up to the monitors and went back down the hall.  I just layed there praying for that momma.

Suddenly, my contractions started again.  I asked my husband to turn the  monitors so that I could see how the baby was reacting to the contractions.  To my surprise, her heart rate was dropping way down with each contraction!

I sent for the nurse!  At first, an LPN came in to see what the problem was.  When I told her, she calmly said that everything was alright.  She went out and got an RN.  She too tried to act calm, but ran down the hall to get the doctor.  Since this was my 12th pregnancy, I knew everything was NOT alright.  The doctor came in and watched me and the monitors, finally determining that I was in real labor.  The baby was under serious destress.  He informed me that I needed an emergency c-section ASAP.  He hoped to be able to wait for an emergency team to arrive from the city hospital, but if the baby took a turn for the worse, we would have to go ahead without them.  The city team had the equipment and medication that it would take to save the baby's life. 

The doctor asked if I needed him to repeat what was going on.  I replied, "No.  I know that everything is going to be alright.  I just don't know what I have to go through to get to 'alright'."

We were able to wait for the city team.  They flew up in a helicopter.

They rushed me into the operating room.

When Sarah was born, the nurse stopped for a split second for us to see her.  I turned and saw my little girl with a head full of black hair, then she was gone.

That was the hardest part!

Sarah was out in the other room screaming!  She was so active that she wore herself out.  They had to put her on a respirator, which she stayed on for her first five days of life.

I was shocked when I came out of the operating room and was told that they were waiting for me to be able to see Sarah before she was rushed off to the big city.

They wheeled my bed up beside her incubator.  I reached in and touched her hand.  She squeezed my finger!  After a very  few minutes they took her away.

They next morning, I was up on my feet waiting for the doctor.  He asked if I wanted to stay longer, and I told him I was leaving!  I jumped into a vehicle and headed out for a three hour ride to the city!

That is such a long story.

God has been soooo good to us!

Sarah was born at 31 weeks.  Our little hospital had never delivered such an early baby! 

She came home four days before turning one month old!

She is completely healthy.  Not one problem!!!

Thank you, Jesus!

Today she is 2 1/2 months old.

She weighs 6 pounds and 6 ounces.

She weighed 4 pounds and 2 ounces at birth.  She was 16 1/2 inches long.  They expected her to be half that size.

Because I was diabetic, she gained weight too fast.  That was the only part of the diabetes that helped her.

We later found out that the diabetes was killing off the placenta, and in turn killing our little girl.

The devil had a plan for our destruction, but God has a plan for good!

I am so thankful that we serve such a big GOD!