Miracles

My last baby was born with a hole in his lung and had to spend some time in the NICU. Having three healthy births before that, I really didn’t understand the stress, worry, and exhaustion that accompanies helplessly watching a NICU baby struggle to do even simple things like breathe. I learned how raw your skin gets with all the washing in (up to your elbows!) every time you entered (thank you drs and nurses who do this for a living). It was pretty scary at the beginning and I remember the compassionate nurse who unfolded the gravity of our situation to us. As we sat there, letting it sink in, she said, “I believe in miracles.” Four simple words, but they brought us so much hope. And lucky for us, our son had a miracle of his own and healed in time to surprise us and come home CHRISTMAS DAY! So when one of my best friends got pregnant with twins, had a rough pregnancy, gave birth prematurely and began her own NICU journey, I ached right alongside her. Those words, “I believe in miracles,” stayed in my head for months as I prayed and prayed for her and her babies. They made it through those scary beginning days and are doing so well now! When she asked me to paint this first moment she got to actually hold her babies, I knew I was treading on sacred ground. I painted it with a lump in my throat, marveling at how many miracles I’ve seen in my life. God is good. I see His hand EVERYWHERE. [“Miracles” sold]