What I looked like 3 years ago today

And the story that follows....

Maria~Angelica Zoe' did indeed deliver HERSELF at 3:05 a.m. Wednesday morning (her due date) October 19th 2005. That is a story I am not sure just how to put into words, but I will try. It was really quite something! I just sat up and there she was! The room was dark, I was laying on my side with my eyes closed. Fr. was asleep and I heard a coo. I asked Fr. if he had just made that sound. We heard a quiet cry, Fr. jumped up and I reached for the controls to lift the bed forward so I could see and there she was! A perfect little pink baby girl! The best way to describe it is I felt a wave of a contraction and she washed ashore! The nurses and doctor (who was also sleeping) were AMAZED!! They came running down the hall. They knew from the heart monitor at the nurses' station that something had happened. They could hear her little cry as they came closer to the room and they could not believe their eyes. All of the nurses said nothing like that had ever happened in all their years of nursing. The funny thing is at 2:00 am the head nurse came in to check on me and I said I felt some good pressure. The nurse said to me "don't worry babies just don't pop out!" When she came in at 3:05 we had a good laugh about that one!
I think I had a "silent birth" ! LOL!
I will never forget the mental picture I have of Maria~Angelica there on the bed so sweet and perfect. The nurse quickly grabbed a blanket and handed her to me. The baby was so warm her body just radiated heat and she smelled sooooooo good (she still smells good)! We were able to have skin to skin contact for about an hour before Fr. cut the cord. Maria~Angelica sucked her 2 middle fingers just minutes after being born. She latched on right away too. Glory be to God she is nursing beautifully. I am so grateful for everything about her. A year ago I was crying in the parking lot of the endocrinologist office because she had just bluntly told me I would never have anymore children. I never went back to that doctor. She was just one of 3 to tell me the same thing. I have never been back to any of those doctors. I was very grateful to have the 3 children I did have. I just wanted to confirm that all was well with my health. Then they day I came home from baptizing and Chrismating Alana's family I found out I was expecting! That was certainly NO coincidence! With God there are no coincidences! That was truly a miracle! For those of you that have been told the same thing I was, don't ever give up hope. Miracles DO happen! They have happened to me 4 times! Just trust the will of God and be willing to accept the will of God. Following my cancer treatment there was no guarantee I would have any children. They were all the will of God and they all came in God's perfect timing.
Maria~Angelica's birth weight was 8lbs 9oz and she is 20 inches long. she is now 8lbs 5 oz .
Throughout the pregnancy the boys would wonder if their sister would have hazel eyes and brown hair like Basil or blue eyes and blonde hair like Nicholas or brown hair and brown eyes like Jonah. Her eyes look blue and her hair is light like Nicholas.
We have given Maria~Angelica her name in honor of the Mother Of God and all the angels in heaven. Maria~Angelica's grandmothers have also been named in honor of the Mother of God and the Holy Angels. Maria is the name of Fr. Christos' mother and Angeliki is the name of my mother. We will call her both names as her first name.
Thank you all for your love, prayers and concern. We are all very excited and look forward to sharing more pictures in the days to come!