I love my sissy

More presents!

The girls opening their Christmas gifts at Grandpa and Grandma Roberts house

Pictures of Chloe taken with my new camera

Pictures of Casey taken with my new camera

Chloe is rubbing Casey's back while she sleeps.

I read this in one of my preemie chat rooms and thought it was beautiful and wanted to share this with everyone.

Did you ever wonder how mothers of premature babies are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation.

As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.

"Beth Armstrong, son. Patron Saint, Matthew."

Marjorie Forrest, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia."

"Carrie Rutledge, twins. Patron Saint..give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."

The angle is curious. "Why this one, God? She is so happy."

"Exactly" smiles God.

"Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel."

"But does she have the patience?" asks the angle.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it."

"I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so nessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of it's own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has the right amount of selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occaionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect."

"She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied."

"She will never take for granted a spoken word."

"She will never consider a step ordinary."

"When her child says 'mama' for the first time, she will be witness to a miricle and know it."

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see ignorance, cruelty, prejudice and allow her to rise above them."

"She will never be alone."

"I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."