I always hesitate to use 'miracle' as a description for Virginia, her journey, or the events surrounding her birth. I am honored and humbled when other people refer to her as a miracle but for me that term is better suited for circumstances that have defied impossible odds or unexplainable courses. Fortunately Virginia's odds were not impossible. There was a series of very slim odds that have highlighted our journey, but never impossible. I learned to hang my prayers on slim odds and eventually I learned to let go of odds and statistics. She defied odds & she succumbed to odds but none of that could have given me a glimpse into what life would be like now. We counted grams and hours, there is just no way that I could have imagined what 20lbs and 2 years would look like.
Now I know. I know how lucky we are & I know how strong Virginia is. To me, she is a warrior that fought (and fights) a hard battle; calling her a miracle almost doesn't do her strength justice.
I also hesitate to use "miracle" as a description for JAM (born at 23 weeks gestation). He had a hard fight. And after many many months in the NICU, I learned so many possibilities for birth stories gone wrong. Frankly, I am amazed that it doesn't all go wrong more often. JAM is a fighter. And a miracle? I use the word "miracle" now for full-term babies, born healthy, able to open their eyes in their first few seconds and able to nurse within a few moments of birth. Making it to full term - that's the miracle I longed for.
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