My Surrogate Life: my perception of a miracle part 15***

As Chris and I waited in the hospital room for Missy and Dave to get there, I guzzled my Diet Cokes. After I would take a few gulps, I would immediately get sick (due to the anesthesia)...but did that stop me????? H....E... double hockey stick to the NO!!! Now, I know that most of you don't understand that,  but my love and need of diet coke can not be explained!!! (Btw, I would like to apologize to the Coke company for the loss of profits in 2003 I feel sure they experienced....it was  mostly like single handily caused by my inability to drink their precious product).

It was a little fuzzy because as said, I wanted to feel no pain and the incredible staff at EAMC made sure that mandate was carried out. About 9:30 am Mis called from her cell phone and said they were in the hospital parking their rental car. Chris got the video camera ready and a few minutes later they came in the room!!! I couldn't  take it one more second so I yelled...."IT'S A BOY AND A GIRL!!!!!!" The look on their face was PURE JOY!!!! Mis came running the bed and we just cried and hugged!!! As we were hugging and crying, I whispered, " WE did it......we really did it....they are here and you are a MOM!!! That hospital room was was about to explode with immense joy and overwhelming love!!!

Mis and Dave had been struggling with agreeing on names. So I asked what they had finally decided on. She said that on the flight down that morning they had finally agreed (which was no easy feat because they needed several option...if 2 boys.....or if 2 girls....or if 1 of both)!!! They announced that it was going to be Alexia Carolyn and Noah Paul!!! I was elated because we had been talking about names for a long time and I told her I LOVED the name Noah because it had been my favorite bible story since I was little!!!

Dr. Thorne (who was both of my personal kids's pedestrian and an amazing doctor) was the doctor that was at the delivery and was in charge of their care. He was still monitoring their oxygen levels to determine if they needed to go to the NICU at least a hour away...he said it could go either way...he would know in a hour of 2. He told them that everything looked good, but he needed to be sure. He told them that they could go see them but he wanted them to be prepared that they were small and had were hooked up to machines to monitor them. They also had IV's  but they were breathing completely on their own. So Chris, Missy and Dave went to the nursery to see the little Christmas miracles (I wasn't able to move yet because of it was too soon). Chris videotaped the touching seen while Missy and Dave met their precious babies for the first time!!! Mis came back to my room about 15 minutes later alone and just hugged me and cried and she whispered' " we did do it.....they are here...and they are perfect.....I can't really believe that I'm FINALLY a mom....we did it!!!

About an hour later Dr. Thorne came in the room and said they were all clear!!! Their oxygen levels were good and they wouldn't need to go to the NICU after all! They would have to remain in the hospital for at least a week to learn to take a bottle and grow!!!! My kids were with my parents, so I called them and asked the to bring them up to the hospital so they could meet "Squirt" and "Crush". When they got there they were so excited! Chris, Missy and Dave took them to the window and they looked at the babies. They came back to the room told me all about them. Peyton said, " I think they just couldn't wait to meet us!!!" And Payne countered " that's not it......it was cause of that song we kept singin last night....."(he was talking about "We're Not Gonna Take It"). I laughed so hard I thought I was going to bust my stitches!!!

Mom and dad took the kids home and we called everyone and told them the news. Jill was going to fly in from Chicago and John (Dave's BFF)  was going to fly in from Texas. I continued drinking my diet coke and taking my pain meds. As time passed a weird thing was happening. Since I had never had  a C-section before I didn't know what to expect.....but I didn't expect to EXPAND. Instead of getting smaller, I was ballooning up like the Blueberry girl in Willy Wonka!!!! They assured me this was normal due to air and fluid and blah blah blah, but I was skeptical as I surveyed my ever expanding body!!!!

It was about noon and I was ready to go see the babies. I awkwardly rolled into the XXL wheel chair and was doubtful it would fit through the door. Mis wheeled me to the nursery and we rolled in. We went into another room in the nursery and there....and in two enormous incubators were two little babies...... each nestled in CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS!!! It was silent.....and these 2 little miracles were sweetly sleeping......I could feel the that peace and joy that came straight from God!!! His plan was complete.....he had given us these perfect little gifts......and our lives were changed forever!!! The true spirit of Christmas filled that little room and we all felt it!!!

We couldn't get them out if the incubators yet because they couldn't maintain their heat, but we could touch them. I was memorized!!! I just rubbed their little hands and a spoke softly to them. After a while I was worn out so we went back to the room. We collectively decided that Chris and Dave would go back to the house and hang out with my kids while Missy stayed with me at the hospital. The guys left and I don't think either of them were touching the ground as they left.....they were both so happy and proud!!!

Missy and I just talked and took phone calls and made trips back and forth to the nursery to see the Armstrong twins!!! We were the talk of EAMC!!! The word spread quickly of this unique birth and and everyone was stopping by the windows to view the modern day miracles. In my hospital room there was a single chair that made into a mini bed. That was where Missy was going to sleep. Between the excitement, the checking of my vitals, and most importantly, the consistent injections of the pain meds, we were unable to sleep.

About midnight Mis said, "lets go look at the babies". We knew we couldn't hold them yet, but we just wanted to go look at them. By this time I was walking....slowly and awkwardly......but walking nonetheless. We knocked on the nursery door and showed our bracelets and they led us in the little room. The nurse said, "Would you like to hold them now?"........ We just looked at each other.....surely we misheard her!!! And she said, "it's ok...they are doing great...." I looked and Mis and asked softly," Is it ok....I mean, this is the very 1st time they will be held.....and I will hold them before even Dave??" She was quite for a minute and then looked at me with tears running down both her check and said...."WE are the moms.....you have taken care of and carried our babies this whole time......they wouldn't be here without you....this  is how it is suppose to be......God let it happen so we could hold them for the first time together ...just you and me!!!

There were 2 rocking chairs in that little room and we both sat down. The nurses came in and each got a baby, still nestled in their Christmas stockings. They put Noah in her arms and Lexi in my arms.......the beautiful little miracles were actually sweetly cuddled next to our hearts. There was not a word spoken....Missy and I sat side by side rocking slowly staring down into those precious faces with tears streaming down our faces. The nurses were openly crying watching us from the doorway. In a chocked voice they told us they would be in the next room if we needed them. And then it was just us.  We sat there and rocked those babies and silently thanked God for these perfect gifts. There was a presence in the room that I couldn't name.....but we both intently felt it. I was so incredibly grateful for my own incredible boys and this amazing experience that would shape their lives in ways that I wasn't even able to imagine!!!

As I sat there looking into that perfect face I knew that one day when my sons held their baby for the very first time, they would think back to this extraordinary experience in 2003......and they would truly realize and appreciate it for what it was.....and they would think.....my mom was awesome. I was smiling through my tears as Lexi grabbed my finger!!!

 Missy and I rocked those 2 tiny helpless miracles with tear streaming down our cheeks for about 40 minutes.....with not a single word spoken the entire time! We both knew that it was literally Heaven on earth it that little nursery room .We humbly realized that the incredibly, beautiful  presence we felt  was the presence God ....who was with us in that room the whole, amazing time!!!

The nurses came back in and gently placed the babies peacefully back in the incubators....

We silently went back to my hospital room trying to take in that momentous experience and climbed in our beds.....and peacefully went to sleep.

To this day, that night remains the single most important and impactful event in my life! Never before or since have I felt God's presence in such a profound way . That night I was reminded of every gift I had ever been granted and I made a pact with God that I would never take any blessing for granted!!! I would live life to the fullest and make the most of every opportunity.....and I do!!!! It transformed and guided my life and for that I am eternally grateful!!!