I woke at 4 am like usual and rolled out of bed. Grabbing my cell phone and glasses, I headed out into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee…the best part of any day. I looked at my phone and saw my daughter Charity had sent me six messages. Soon I would meet Alice from Wonderland…
Excitement and wonder-filled me.
My water broke.
I’m in labour.
They’ve hooked me up to an IV.
It’s going to be a while.
When my daughter-in-law Jazmin woke up, we drove to the hospital around 4:45 am. But first a Canadian must always stop at Timmy’s (AKA Tim Horton’s) for coffee.
Charity and Dan were sitting in the labour room smiling, as Charity happily bounced on a ball.
She was hooked up to an IV. She had been induced since her water had broken on its own. The original plan was to have the baby delivered at home by a midwife. It’s funny how plans change when it comes to birthing a baby.
I went out to the waiting room since Charity could only have two support people in her room. Jazmin was her Doula-in-training but had been through a really rough week of pain due to stage four cancer. We would switch if Jazmin needed a break.
We were hoping Jazmin would feel well the day the baby was born. She was having a bit better day, so this was a huge answer to prayer.
When things weren’t progressing, the word c-section was tossed about.
Jazmin was told to wait in the waiting room with my husband Vance and me. We all sat anxiously anticipating the arrival of our grandbaby and niece or nephew.
Believe it or not, Charity was one of the very few people who wanted to wait until the baby was born to find out the gender. I was the same for my five children. I love surprises!
Jazmin ran to the bathroom. I kept looking out the window for a nurse to wave at us. Then I saw Jazmin coming back. She had the biggest smile on her face, and she was skipping.
I knew what that meant.
She squealed as she opened the waiting room door, “Dan texted me, It’s a girl!!!!” The three of us were jumping up and down, then Vance wrapped his large arms around Jazmin and me, folding us into a big hug.
Dan didn’t want to leave Charity’s side but knew we were waiting for the big news. We were thankful for modern technology.
Alice Jazmin Elliott came into the world arriving from Wonderland on December 8, 2018, weighing 8lbs 3oz.
Finally, we were told we could go see our new grandbaby. The hall seemed ten miles long, and my legs couldn’t move fast enough. We walked into the room and there stood my darling bonus-son, Dan, holding his new little daughter. He had a grin from ear to ear.
I reached for my granddaughter and tears started streaming. She was the most beautiful little bundle I had ever seen. I looked at my daughter Charity, and my heart swelled with pride.
She had never planned to birth a baby. Charity had always said she was going to adopt. But when Dan and her talked about having a family, Dan wanted to have both a child born to them and a child chosen by them.
An unexplainable joy filled me from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. I looked down on this tiny little girl and knew my life was now going to be filled with new wonder and blessings unknown to me – before she was knit together in her mother’s womb.
I was now the grandmother of a baby who was born. For nine months I had been a grandmother to a little creature hidden away in darkness.
She wiggled and squirmed and yawned, as she stretched her tiny arms. Everything Alice did would cause a sigh to happen like a domino effect on everyone in the room.
All her aunts and uncles and grandparents made visits within a few hours of her birth. Was there ever a child born who was loved so deeply by so many? I would guess yes, around the world there are many gushing grandparents who would pull down the sun, moon and stars for their grandchild.
As I watched my daughter with her new baby girl, I knew she had changed her mind. She wouldn’t turn back the clock now and say she had any regrets. Charity was completely in love with her daughter. She will be just as in love with her adopted children one day too.
To us, Alice’s very large extended family, she is the most beautiful, perfect creature to ever be born. Even if she had arrived with missing pieces or mental challenges, she would still be the absolutely most perfect and beautiful baby.
True love…for Alice from Wonderland, a gift from heaven.
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