My story starts before I got married. The winter before my wedding I had "a zap." My thyroid was extremely high and for two years I was on a medication that could damage my liver over time. I decided to get the "zap." Afterwards, I was told that my thyroid was now too low. I couldn't believe it. My first gynecologist told me that I couldn't get pregnant because of my thyroid problems.

Two months after marrying my junior high sweetheart, we found out that we were pregnant. I quickly changed doctors. My first trimester, we had problems because of my stupid thyroid. My second trimester, my family found out that my father had an inoperable brain tumor. The doctors told us that he wouldn't make it past Christmas, let alone April for when my baby was to be born. (He's still with us, praise God!) And the fun third trimester, I found out that I had preeclampsia. My blood pressure rose sky high. With twice-a-week doctors visits, including two sonograms, two stress tests a week and complete bed rest, I was certainly ready for my baby when she broke my water April 10, 2001 at 10 p.m.

I had to have a double epidural because of my blood pressure problem. The nurse came in about 9 a.m. on April 11 and checked me. She felt the head real quick. I started to push around 9 or so. God gave me grace – I only pushed 48 minutes and Petra Leola was born at 9:48 a.m. She was so small at 5 pounds, 14 ounces. She kind of scared me.

She is God's little miracle baby in many ways: 1) My dad was outside my room awaiting his last granddaughter, 2) I just found out that now my thyroid it completely dead, which means I will never be able to have anymore children, 3) God is good and to make a child out of a little egg and a little sperm is beyond me!

She is a miracle each and every day.

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