I awoke Christmas morning to a phone call from Daniela. Her voice was excited, relieved, a little shaky. She had just given birth to her second Christmas baby.
I didn’t believe her when she told me. I had just seen her at St. Bernard’s midnight Christmas mass just hours ago. And she was not due until February 2nd. We were not only celebrating Christmas, but also Mia’s 2nd birthday (Daniela’s first born baby and my goddaughter), as I stood with the family outside the stone cathedral. When I lifted Mia up in the air, she immediately gave me a quick peck on the lips. She had never done this before. She smiled and said, “Hello” but it sounded more like “heeewooo.” She pointed to all the glowing lights on the trees and exclaimed, “Luz! luz!”
The next morning, Mia’s wide eyes were struck with curiosity and fascination as she looked at her new baby sister Victoria. As she pointed to her “Tori,” as she likes to call her, she said “yuckkkeeee.” But she was anything but yucky…she was the smallest, most delicate baby I had ever seen. Born about six weeks early, she weighs a little more than 3 1bs. Mia had been born 5 weeks early, and weighed a little more than 4 1bs. Fortunately, both Christmas babies are healthy. The miracle that is birth amazes me!
To See a World in a Grain of Sand 