4,000 -Something to THINK about!

Good Evening! I know that all of my blogs so far have been funny .Occasionally, I do have a serious side. This is my daughter Ella. She is 7 1/2 yrs old. She is one of my most treasured gifts in life. I thank God for her everyday. She is also one of the biggest surprises in my life.  Ella came at a time in my life when many exciting plans were  going on. And well, Ella, by far, wasn't part of my plan. I had just gotten engaged ,bought my little ,tiny , expensive wedding dress,booked a hall,  and most importantly booked the church.  A baby wasn't in the immediate plan.

   I can remember the day I found out I was pregnant like it was yesterday. I just turned 22 and was already 12 weeks pregnant. It still really bothers me that I acted so selfishly.  I cried and cried and cried for 2 hours driving the 275 loop . I will never forget what Ralph said to me while driving in the car,"Well, what are we gonna do ?" My response" What do you mean, what are we going to do? We are going to have a baby. That's what we are going to do. What else would we do?"  For a split second, I could see where a women make a quick "fix it " decision to have an abortion. Your mind races. You think your life is totally over, when in reality it is just beginning. You are about to receive the best gift anyone can receive.  I could have had an abortion. Nobody would have known except Ralph and I. Secret safe, right? An abortion would have made my life easier. My wedding perfect.No 4 month old at my wedding. Right? WRONG!! COMPLETELY WRONG!!!

   At the time, I thought getting pregnant before I was married was the worst thing that could have ever happened to me. Little did I know the path God had ahead for my family. It was a rough path. My Dad was diagnosed with  A-Typical Melanoma when Ella was 19 months old. In fact, it was the day my Leah was born. Nothing like having a baby and having your Dad diagnosed  with Stage 4 cancer on the same day. And the next day, my Mom had to come into  my  hospital room and tell me my 14 year old cousin , Hannah had thyroid cancer that metastasized to her lung.

   During my Dad's chemo treatments my Dad would tell my Mom that Ella and Leah were his best medicine. They kept  him going. They made him want to live. They made him want to beat cancer. He even showed a picture of my kids to his oncologist and said "You have to cure me so I can see them grow up. They need their Papa." His little Lee Lee Ryan and Ella Rose. His shortcakes. He couldn't battle for his life without them.

    So here it is. Take it, or leave it. I could have ended Ella's life because I "wasn't ready "for her to enter this  world. She wouldn't have fit in my initial plan. But, not having her here would have been the biggest mistake of my life. Even though my Dad lost his battle to cancer 19 short months after he was diagnosed I know my daughters made those horrific 19 months easier on him. They gave him hope. They helped him battle for his life. And I know, he was truly grateful for that.
Today, when I was driving up to NCC  to get tickets for the play that Ella is in and I saw all the crosses, (she was singing at the top of her lungs in my back seat) I couldn't help but pull over say a prayer with her and give gratitude to God for giving me my children. How lucky am I? If only everyone could chose life. What a beautiful world this would be! SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!
"A person's a person,no matter how small." -Dr. Seuss