The Miracle Princess

Once upon a time, there lived a woman who had two beautiful daughters.  She loved those girls with all her heart, wanting nothing but happiness for them.  If they were sad, she would make them laugh.  When they didn't understand their homework, she helped them.  She made sure they were warm, and fed, and healthy.  They went camping, and played basketball.  She took them to their games and their concerts.  And she had birthday parties for them.  

When the youngest daughter was 12 years old, she got very sick.  Cancer, the doctor said.  Poor prognosis, high risk.  The woman cried and cried, but mostly she prayed for a miracle.  For her little girl to live, to fulfill her purpose, to have a chance at being a wife and a mother.  God heard that prayer, as He hears all our prayers, and He made the little girl well again.   But the doctors said she would never be able to have children of her own, which broke the woman's heart, because she knew what joy children bring, and that both of her daughters would be wonderful mothers.  

Years later, both daughters were grown, and married.  The oldest daughter had first one, then two, and finally three beautiful little girls of her own, making the woman oh so very happy.  She loved to watch her granddaughters, but especially reveled in seeing her daughter as a mother.    And, although the youngest daughter acted as if she did not really want any children, the woman knew in her heart that she was afraid.  Afraid the doctors were right.  She acted brave, and nonchalant, like she didn't care, but she did.  

Then one day, 18 years after her cancer was gone, the daughter got the the most extraordinary, surprising news.  She was pregnant!  Weeks later, she found out it was a girl.  She was thrilled and scared and nervous and excited, and thought it was just too good to be true.  But carefully, oh so carefully, she allowed herself to believe it, and then she grew happier with each passing month.  Finally, the big day came, and her little miracle was born.  A beautiful baby girl with big eyes and curly brown hair.  With each passing day, she grew more beautiful, and her mother fell more in love with her.  Everyone who met her loved her--friends, neighbors, and family.  The baby grew, smiled, took her first steps, said her first word, had her first birthday, then her second.  

The woman watched as her youngest daughter excelled as a mother,  cherishing those special moments her daughter shared with her.  She thought back to that terrible, terrible night 20 years earlier, the night she prayed for a miracle on the porch of the Ronald McDonald house.  

And realized the miracle was now complete.  

Sophie, age 2